


Their Story

by 256NatLiz



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Andsoitbegins, Multi, TheRKswillshowuplaterinthethirdtimeline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-21
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-07-15 00:35:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 45
Words: 33,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16051823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/256NatLiz/pseuds/256NatLiz
Summary: Two sisters, Kiana and Libby, never thought they'd be outcasts among the humans. But that's what happens when you have a soft spot for androids.The sisters go from living alone to housing 4 deviants: Stephanie, Jonathan, Edward, and Ralph.





	1. Together, When It Started

**Author's Note:**

> This story is finished.

Their Story- Together, When It Starts

Nobody plans to be a castaway, or a rebel, or a fugitive. My sister and I definitely didn’t plan our lives to go that way.

My sister and I had lived by ourselves ever since our dad died a few years ago. Before then, we lived in a comfortable 3 bedroom townhouse in Detroit, Michigan. We still lived in the house after Dad passed away, and actually enjoyed just the two of us living in the house. After Dad died, we turned his bedroom into a guest room/work studio.   
Libby was a history professor, and I was an android mechanic. We both liked tinkering with mechanical things, and our neighbors and friends would come to us to fix their gadgets. So it wasn’t all that surprising when a box showed up at our front door with a note that read, “Heard you like to fix things. This one should be a real challenge. If you can fix it, keep it.”  
The machine in the box was an android. Which wouldn’t be all that surprising, except…  
When androids first came on the market, my sister and I were 15. Dad wanted us to still experience the “full extent of a teenager’s life,” so he got an android and basically ordered it to be a step-mother of sorts. She was alright, as mothers go, but understandably she couldn’t do everything. Then something happened on a trip to a local amusement park that caused her to be deactivated and sent back to the manufacturer. Dad refused to get another android after that.  
Anyway, the android in that box was… an updated model of our android “step-mother.” Same look, same voice, everything. All she was missing was a chunk of her left shoulder. My sister and I were both, understandably, shaken up at this “gift.”  
The android, who introduced herself as Stephanie, couldn’t remember (or didn’t want to tell us) much about her past, but something bad had happened that made her go deviant.  
So we had a deviant living in our house. Libby started calling her our “freed one.”  
About a month later, Libby came home with a GJ500 draped over her shoulder, struggling to stand. She said she had found him on the side of the road, crawling on his stomach to nowhere in particular. He had a blanket wrapped around most of his face, which revealed that he only had half a face; someone or something had ripped off his lower jaw.  
So now we had two “freed ones” who were still recovering from both physical and emotional wounds. I was starting to run low on android parts, and for the life of me couldn’t obtain the lower jaw of a GJ500. Speaking of whom: after going through almost a week’s worth of names, he had decided on Jonathan.  
Then our neighbor’s gardener android, Edward, was attacked by some local teens who had nothing better to do than tear up Mr. Brim’s flower beds. Libby, once again, came to the rescue, and did a decent job of patching him up. The WR600, for his part, wasn’t quite as deviant as our other freed ones, but he did stay at our house at night instead of Mr. Brim’s shed.  
So now we had 3 androids living in our house.

Our last freed one found us… kinda.  
It was a late night, and I was tinkering in the studio when Stephanie tiptoed in and said an android wearing a cape was walking on the street. I immediately put my tools down and rushed downstairs.  
Sure enough, there was a blonde-haired android in half a cape, stumbling down the street. His hands were against his chest, like he was holding something, and his head would jerk to the side.  
I turned to Stephanie. “Let’s go get him.”  
Stephanie tensed, but she nodded and went to get her shawl. Ever since her deviancy, she wasn’t too keen on others touching her; but she let me rearrange the shawl so it covered her still-injured shoulder, which I took as progress.  
When we were ready I turned to Jonathan, who had been watching the android through the front window. He nodded that the android was still there, and we walked out.  
I had told Stephanie to lead the conversation, as we didn’t know what the android had been through and he might attack if a human were the first to come up to him. So as we approached him from his side, Stephanie said, “Hello there.”  
The android jerked and pointed a carving knife at us.  
“Who’s there? Who are you? Ralph doesn’t want any trouble. No, Ralph wasn’t doing anything bad. No trouble. Ralph is try-…” He noticed me and pointed the knife directly at me. “Human’s come to hurt Ralph. Ralph won’t let them! He won’t!” He shuffled towards us, knife steadfast at my chest.  
Stephanie and I had already both put up our hands, showing him we were unarmed.  
“Easy,” Stephanie cooed. “We don’t want to hurt you. We were wondering if you wanted some help.”  
“Help?” asked the android. “Why would they help Ralph? Humans hurt Ralph.” With this statement, he turned to us the left side of his face and gestured to it with his free hand. Blue scratches and burn marks covered the side of his face, and his left eye was black. “Yes. Humans hurt Ralph. They don’t help. Only hurt.” He shuffled towards me even more.   
Stephanie looked up and down the street before revealing the plastic skin on her right hand.  
“Look,” she said. “I’m an android, too. My human won’t hurt you. She helps those like us.” Ralph’s knife wavered and lowered, but was still pointed in my direction.  
After taking a deep breath, Stephanie lifted a piece of her shawl, revealing her missing shoulder. “Humans have hurt me, too, Ralph. If it wasn’t for Kiana, I wouldn’t even have this arm.”  
That wasn’t entirely true, but okay.  
Ralph lowered his knife more and looked at Stephanie’s shoulder. He jerked his eyes to me. I smiled at him.  
“Please Ralph,” I said. “Please let me help you.”  
Ralph looked at the ground. “You… Human would help Ralph?”  
“Yes,” I said, letting out a small laugh. “That’s all I want to do. You can come to my house, and we’ll help you.”  
Ralph looked up at us, and smiled. “Ralph would like that!”  
We went inside, where Ralph was off-put momentarily by my sister; but after a quick intervention he was fine again. He couldn’t stop smiling, and would often do a little shimmy dance with his hands at chest level. However, he wouldn’t let go of his knife, even when I offered to clean it in the dish washer. So he brought it with him to the work room.  
He sat on the edge of the bed as I went to the bathroom for a washcloth and wetted it. He was covered in mud, which might’ve caused problems when I went in to fix things.  
He wouldn’t stop fidgeting. He reminded me of the children who would sometimes come into the shop with their parents: one of those restless kids who had to touch everything and ask about everything. While he didn’t ask about everything in the room, he did ask the important questions.  
“Who are Human’s friends?”  
“The girl you first met is Stephanie. The other human is my sister, Libby.” I wrung the washcloth out and walked back into the room. “The one with no jaw is Jonathan. And your clone is Edward.”  
“Ralph has a clone?”  
“Yes and no. You’re the same model. You might’ve done some of the same work, too. What did you do before you became free?”  
“Ralph is free?” He thought about this concept for a minute, and he raised his hand to his face to caress his facial scars. “Ralph IS free!” he decided. He stood and did his little dance.  
I smiled. “Could Free Ralphy please let Kiana the Fixer clean the mud and dirt off him?”  
His head shook. “Humans won’t touch Ralph. Never again. No, never again. The humans won’t get Ralph again.”  
I held out the washcloth. “Then how about you clean yourself?”  
Ralph looked at the washcloth, then at me. “Why is Kiana the Fixer helping Ralph? Humans only hurt Ralph. He has proof.”  
He raised his arm and caressed his scars again. He sat. “They only hurt.”  
“We just do, Ralph. I guess…” I sighed. “I suppose we see androids as more than appliances. Especially freed ones. If this had been the Civil War era, we’d be helping African Americans. But it’s not. It’s the 21st century, so we help androids.”  
Ralph dropped his arm and let it rest in his lap. His lip twitched in the direction of a snarl, then his head jerked to the side.  
I stood in front of him and squatted so we were almost eye-level.  
“Ralph, listen to me. No one will hurt you while you’re under our roof. This house is a safe place.”  
He looked me in the eye, searching.   
“Can I clean your face?” I asked, showing Ralph the washcloth again. He stared at it before nodding. I went straight for the scars, wanting to clean them before he changed his mind.  
“Can… Can Ralph stay?” He asked.  
“Of course you can!” I replied, smiling. “This can be your home now, if you want. Just don’t draw too much attention to us, or we’ll all have to leave.”  
He looked at me, his face radiating joy. He did his shimmy dance before his face became serious. He stood, staring at the door.  
“If you’ll excuse Ralph, there’s something he needs to do now.”  
With that, he walked out of the room.  
Two seconds later, Edward walked in. He folded his hands in front of him and announced supper was ready.  
“Thanks. Did you see where Ralph went?”  
“Yes,” Edward replied. “He is heading to your bedroom.”  
I sprinted from the room and burst through my slightly-ajar bedroom door.  
Ralph was carving on a free spot of the wall. Plaster and paint fluttered down onto the carpet.  
“Ralph! What are you doing?!” I demanded.  
Ralph stopped carving. He slowly turned to look at me. There was no emotion in his face.  
“… What?” His upper lip snarled as he stared at me.  
“Why are you carving on my wall?!” I repeated.  
He looked at the wall, at the line in the wall, then back at me. He looked down in thought, then turned back to the wall and kept carving.  
I rushed to him and grabbed his wrist. He didn’t struggle, but his grip on the knife was strong. I pulled and pulled, but it wouldn’t break free.  
“Let go!” I cried in frustration. Ralph stood still, expressionless.  
“Ralph, let go!” I yelled, which broke his stupor. He began struggling to keep the knife. We went back and forth in the room, each of us trying to pry the knife from the other’s hands. With a final jerk, I pulled the knife from his grip; but at a price.  
Drops of blood fell down my arm and side as I dropped the knife and collapsed, clutching my arm.  
Libby was at my side in an instant. “What happened?”  
“Ralph didn’t mean to!” Ralph cried. The WR600 backed away, his hands curled into his chest. “Ralph didn’t mean to,” he repeated. “That’s Ralph’s knife. It’s his. It doesn’t belong to Kiana. It’s Ralph’s!”  
“Now it’s no one’s,” declared Libby. She picked up the knife and handed it to Edward. “Go put it in the dish washer, please. It’s filthy.”  
Edward gave her our first aid kit and took the knife from her, then disappeared.  
Jonathan and Stephanie came into the room to see Libby attending to my arm, me wincing in pain as a flab of skin dangled, and Ralph in the corner apologizing and crying.

It took hours for my arm to stop hurting. Ralph would switch from never leaving my side to being as far from me as he could. Libby’s firmness with him about not having the knife back seemed to stick, for after the one line he didn’t carve into the walls anymore.  
The most annoying thing about Ralph, however, was that his facial scars refused to heal. I knew burn marks sometimes left permanent scars on androids, like on humans, but not to that degree. He wasn’t the best patient, either, but if I caught him when he was in an inseparable-from-me mood he would sit relatively still while I tried to fix him. These moments lasted about 2 minutes each, so I never made much progress.  
Libby was becoming closer and closer to Edward. I didn’t have the heart to tell her Edward wasn’t quite the freed one she thought he was, but it was cute to see her actually show signs of a crush. Oddly enough, she didn’t shower Ralph with added affection, even though Edward and Ralph were physically identical in design. I guessed the difference lay in the late-night talks in which Libby and Edward would partake after the others had gone to stasis and me to bed, and I left it at that.

And that was our townhouse of misfits: an old personal assistant model with one and a half shoulders, a road worker with a missing jaw, two gardeners with physical and mental scars, and two human sisters who had no idea as to what they’d gotten themselves in.


	2. Separation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two sisters, Kiana and Libby, never thought they'd be outcasts among humans. But that's what happens when you have a soft spot for androids.
> 
> Kiana gets separated and has to survive the android revolution by herself.

The day after Ralph joined us, deviant androids took over a broadcasting tower and broadcast a message on mainstream TV. Stephanie insisted on watching the news as much as possible, so we caught the original broadcast.  
The next day, humans were told to turn over their androids. Libby and I looked at each other, and agreed to trust our freed ones with our family secret.  
Our house has been in the family for at least 4 generations. Our great-grandfather was convinced some war or other would result in unstable living conditions above ground, so he made a bunker. Our grandfather and Dad then added on to it with a tunnel that led to a dump somewhere. We honestly have no idea why they did this, but that day we figured we might as well take advantage of our ancestors’ madness. Or maybe it was their intuition.  
Either way, when the police knocked on our door, we were prepared. The freed ones were in the bunker, and almost all evidence of them was gone. The only thing we couldn’t really get rid of was the symbol on my wall. I had hoped the police wouldn’t search the house, but they did. And they found the wall carvings. And Ralph didn’t know how to hide in a bunker. He burst from my closet and attacked one of the officers. We ran straight for the bunker door.  
Before I reached it, my leg exploded in pain and I collapsed.  
Edward, of all people, came to my rescue and carried me into the bunker. Stephanie bandaged my leg while the bunker’s second layer of doors were fastened shut. They were sturdy, but Libby and I knew they wouldn’t last with today’s door-breakers.  
Nobody wanted to leave me behind. Least of all Libby. But I assured them I would be fine; they wouldn’t kill a human, they needed me for questioning.  
Ralph started to panic. He paced the room, muttering to himself and going from clutching his head to curling his hands into his chest to touching his facial scars.  
“He’s going to overheat if he goes on like this,” Stephanie commented.  
As he passed me, I grabbed his arm and pulled him down.  
“Ralph,” I commanded. “Everything will be alright. We are going to make it, all of us. But now you need to listen to the others and do what they say. Do you understand?”  
Ralph looked at me. His head jerked to the side, and he nodded. “Ralph knows. Ralph will listen to his friends.” I sighed in relief.  
“But friends must not die. Ralph won’t allow it. He won’t. He doesn’t want to die, but friends won’t die, either.”  
I smiled and placed a hand on his left cheek, making sure he was looking at me. “Then stick together. Take care of each other. You gotta take care of them, Ralph.”  
Ralph nodded.  
I sent everyone but Edward and Libby to find the tunnel entrance. Then I turned to Edward.  
“Edward. You are the leader now. You have to protect them. Get to Jericho; get to Canada if you can.”  
I don’t think Edward quite understood the severity of what I was saying, but he put on a sincere face and promised he would do his best.  
I had Libby go out of earshot to get a drink before giving him his real promise.  
“One more thing, Edward.” He looked at me with renewed focus. “Take care of Libby. She’s fond of you; more than you realize. If things turn out, you two are good for each other. Please Edward, she’s the only family I have. Give her a happy life.”  
Edward was processing this promise so long Libby had returned before he answered with, “I will.”  
The others returned triumphant just in time to hear a thumping against the inner bunker door.  
“You have to go now,” I said.  
Libby bear-hugged me around the neck, crying. “I’m not leaving you!” she declared.  
“Yes, you are,” I retorted. “Someone has to care for our freed ones. Someone has to make sure they stay free.” I couldn’t say more, for I was now crying. We didn’t know when we would see each other again; which we had never done before.  
Edward placed his hands on her shoulders and lifted her from our embrace. We held hands until we couldn’t stretch any farther, tears obstructing our focus on the other’s face.  
No sooner had I ceased hearing their footsteps than the inner bunker door fell. Police officers and a SWAT team bombarded the small bunker. One of the officers came to me and asked what happened. I tried to be indifferent towards the androids, saying they left me here and took my sister. Then I thought of Jonathan and Ralph and Stephanie with bounties on their heads, and my tears began afresh.  
The officer began questioning me then and there. Something happened, and I was either knocked out, or I passed out from blood loss.  
When I awoke, I was in a hospital bed. Nobody came to check on me for hours. When a nurse finally did come in, she was disheveled and ragged.  
“Just what we need,” she said. “An android sympathizer with a wound needing surgery. Doctor won’t even be in until tomorrow, if he comes in at all.”  
“That’s fine,” I said. “It’s been a rough couple of days for everyone.” My words surprised her into a frozen shock. I smiled.  
“You’re… Are you okay?” She grabbed my file from the wall and scanned it over.  
“Well, asides from the numbness in my leg from a policeman’s bullet, I think so. You, on the other hand, look like you could use a nap. Or coffee.”  
She looked over the file at me and glared. “You have no fucking idea. After losing all our androids, hospitals had to combine their staff into one facility. I’m living on coffee and energy capsules. I’m surprised they even took you; the bullet isn’t even in your leg.”  
I shrugged. “Probably because I was housing freed androids, and they want to question me about it and where the androids might’ve gone.”  
The nurse glanced at me, then at the clock. “Oh shit.” And she was gone.

I’ve been in this hospital bed for roughly 4 hours without anyone coming back in. My only company is the TV that is set on the news of what the deviants are doing and my own sense of loneliness. I miss Libby. I miss Jonathan. I miss Stephanie. I miss Ralph. I even miss Edward. I miss my family home. I miss Mom, and Dad, and our semi-beloved Carolina.  
I have to think of something else. The news isn’t helping. Maybe I should go over what would happen if the lead deviant tried to fight, or if he continued his Martin-Luther-King-Jr.-esque demonstrations.  
If we have to leave, I’m not going. I’m staying right here. In my Detroit. In my city. With people whom I can help. I’m not going anywhere.


	3. A Strange World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiana wakes up in a quiet hospital.

This morning, I woke up to an unusual quiet. I could see light from my open door. There was a wheelchair next to my bed. I climbed into it and traveled the halls.  
It had been abandoned. I don’t know how full the hospital had been yesterday, but it was vacant now. Well, mostly vacant.  
When I came to a corridor on the west side of the building, a weak voice called out. It belonged to an old lady about to die.  
She didn’t want to die alone, so I sat with her. She told me stories about her family: her daughter, her son and his kids, her husband with whom she was sure she would meet in heaven. That got her onto philosophy, so we talked about that. Her last words were, “You can get too old for many things, but it’s never too late to change. Or to make a change. A change for the better would be nice. Do you think that would be impossible? It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” Then she closed her eyes, and the machine she was attached to let out a long beep until I detached it.  
She’s still there, her bedsheet covering her face. I can’t really bury her in my current state. Many Jonathan will.

He found me. I heard footsteps behind me, turned around, and there he was. My sweet freed one.  
We moved me into a room on the second floor (there are no proper rooms on the first floor). If we can find parts and tools, I can make a shop right there in the hospital. It can become an android hospital.  
Jonathan is spending the night looking for those who need fixing, or who just want a place to stay. Hopefully he’ll look for things with which to actually fix, like biocomponents, thirium, body parts, etc. Saying body parts seems morbid, but it’s an accurate description. I know androids, especially freed ones, have a tendency to lose body parts to vandals and abuse. Stephanie and Jonathan can attest to that.  
Stephanie… Where is she? Where is Libby?! Where are Ralph and Edward? It’s moments like this I wish Jonathan could talk. Maybe we can find him a new jaw. It doesn’t even have to be from a GJ unit; it just has to be from a 500 series.  
That is a quest for another day. For tonight, I will sleep and wait for Jonathan’s return.  
I wonder how the androids are celebrating their newfound freedom…  
I wonder how many other humans stayed.


	4. Making Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiana makes new friends, and has her first patient.

Jonathan came through!  
Not only did he find both androids seeking shelter, tools, and parts, but he found a doctor and 2 nurses.   
Well, one of the nurses found me. After the evacuation, she came back to her workplace. She’s not entirely sure why she did, but I’m glad she did. Her name is Judy. She and the other two have agreed to care for me until my leg has healed, although I think the doctor, Jeremy, is afraid they’ll have to amputate. The human nurses didn’t properly bandage it. That wouldn’t be the worst thing that’s ever happened to me; though, it was a direct cause of the worst thing to ever happen to me.  
I still wonder how Jonathan found me in the first place, and how he got separated from Libby and our other freed ones.  
Today I had my first patient: an EM400 named Jerry. He and his friend, an AP700 named Nathaniel, followed Jonathan to the hospital. Jerry was missing his right arm, and he was in desperate need of a cleaning and tune-up. I sent Jonathan and Nathaniel off to find Jerry new parts while I cleaned and tuned him. Jerry wouldn’t stop smiling, which was actually uplifting to see. He told me he and a whole crew of Jerry EM400s used to work at a local amusement park until it shut down. Urban Explorers, ghost hunters, and bored teenagers would sneak into the park and hurt the Jerrys. Then two adult androids and a “Little One” came to the park, and the Jerrys helped the small family smile.   
As he told me the story, his whole body relaxed.  
“Sounds like that moment has been a highlight of your deviancy,” I commented. I was trying to clean the corrosion from his hairline.  
“Oh yes,” he replied. “Making children smile is our favorite thing. Children used to love us, and we loved helping them smile.”  
I smirked. “Sometimes all someone needs is a smile.”  
Jerry paused. “Yes, it is.”  
I finished cleaning as much corrosion as I could, and asked him to remove his shirt so I could perform maintenance and get a better look at his arm stump. As I prodded through the internal wiring of his stump, seeing what needed to be replaced, he asked, “Has anyone made you smile, no matter what they do?”  
I paused and looked at him. “That’s an… odd question.”  
Jerry looked down, ashamed. “We’re sorry. We didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. You… seem to be a happy person, but…”  
“A lot has happened recently, I know,” I interrupted. I smirked a small smile. “But to answer your question,” I went back to his arm, pulling a neural communications wire and thirium tube to full extension to be removed and replaced. “Yes, there is someone.”  
Jerry patiently waited for me to continue.  
“My sister, Libby. We are each other’s world. We share almost everything: looks, birthdays, clothes, boyfriends once, tastes,…” I let my voice trail off as I dropped my hands and looked at them, mind wandering.  
“Where is she?” Jerry asked.  
I swallowed a small sob before answering. “I don’t know. When I got shot, I had to be left behind. Jonathan was with them, but I suppose they were separated. I’d ask him, but, well,… he can’t really answer me.”  
Jerry nodded, understanding. Then he smiled. “He can answer here,” and pointed at his head.  
One of my eyebrows raised. “You can talk to him telepathically? Aren’t you in a closed network with your counterparts?”  
He shook his head. “We are, but we can talk with others as well. We can talk to Jonathan and tell you what he says.”  
My spirits rose. “Really? You would do that?”  
Jerry nodded, and I hugged him.  
Jonathan and Nathaniel chose that moment to walk in.  
“What did we miss?” Nathaniel asked. He was carrying a spare arm and a small box.  
“Jerry can be a go-between for Jonathan and me!” I announced. Jonathan’s shoulders tensed.  
“If he wants to. We won’t force him,” Jerry quickly added.  
Jonathan was quick to nod; then he placed his own box on the window seat next to Jerry.  
Jerry chuckled. “He says to fix us first,” Jerry translated.  
“Yeah,” I said. “Of course.”  
Attaching a new arm on Jerry took most of the afternoon; mainly because Jonathan or Nathaniel would bring in new androids who wanted to meet a human willing to fix them, but also because Jerry would tell me stories and I’d get lost in them. Jerry might’ve missed his calling in becoming an amusement park android. Or, at least, this Jerry; I don’t know about the other Jerrys.  
When the new arm was fully attached and operational, Jerry hugged me. It was a long, warm hug, one Jerry was happy to let last as long as it needed to be. I cried on his shoulder, which I think needed to happen. I hadn’t allowed myself to cry over my separation from Libby, and afterwards I felt much better.   
Tomorrow I will tend to the other deviants who need fixing. I won’t get many chances for my thoughts to wander, and I’m glad for that. I don’t need to think about the worst that could have happened to Libby; I have to assume she is alright, in Canada, maybe even with Edward or Stephanie. If I think hard enough, I can see Ralph with them. They’re all living free lives in a community town with other deviants and android-loving humans.  
I have to think thoughts like this; helps me sleep.


	5. A New Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiana starts her work, and has wondering thoughts.

Today began my life as a deviant fixer.  
I’ve met so many new people, and seen so many different injuries: burns, unhealing cuts, missing limbs and biocomponents, faulty wiring, faulty coding, emotional instability, loneliness, perceived loss,… the list goes on. And this all in one day.  
Jerry and Nathaniel said they would stay with me, which is a real blessing because Jonathan and I can’t handle this on our own.  
Nathaniel has been doing this thing where he tries to scare Jerry. Jerry and I will be talking, and Nathaniel will jump up, startling me. Then Jerry turns and says, “Hi, Nathaniel,” at which point Nathaniel’s face goes neutral, but with his eyelids half lowered. Poor Nathaniel hasn’t quite mastered facial expressions yet, but he’s trying.  
Judy helped me take a bath today. First bath in at least 4 days. The water was colder than I’d like with this winter, but Judy did her best to warm it. I will be forever grateful for that girl. She has been an absolute blessing. She doesn’t stick to my side like Jonathan does, but she’s always there when I need something for my leg, or to answer an android medical question to which I don’t know the answer. I finally learned that her prowess comes from the fact that she’s a 700 series, which means she’s only a month or so old.  
I think news of me is spreading amongst the deviants. I just hope it doesn’t go out of control; I don’t think I could handle being a celebrity. On the plus side, I might then get a chance to meet Markus, the one responsible for all this. I’d thank him for being the catalyst. And probably ask if I’ll always have a safe place amongst his deviants.  
Personal goal for tomorrow: get Jonathan a jaw. He needs to have his thoughts heard, and not only telepathically or interpreted by Jerry.


	6. Frankenstein

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiana's injured leg is causing problems.

I lost my leg.  
I woke up at night, groaning and writhing in pain. I don’t even remember how the pain felt; just that it was in my upper thigh, almost at the hip joint. Below that point, I couldn’t feel my leg.  
Jonathan and Jerry burst into the room. Judy followed. She sent them to get Jeremy, then removed the covers and removed my pants to see what I was pressing on my leg. What she saw made her gasp, and her LED went yellow.  
“What?” I asked.  
She shook her head. “You don’t want to see it.”  
Which made me look. And I nearly fainted from a new wave of pain.  
My leg was decomposing! Which, now that I’m thinking about it, means I was knocked out for longer than I thought, or the bullet was still in my leg and caused an infection or something.  
Judy gave me pain meds, and everything else is somewhat blurry. When Jonathan and Jerry returned with the doctor, they also brought a gurney. I was lifted onto it and taken to an operating room, where Judy coached me in counting backwards.  
And the next thing I remember, I was back in my room with no feeling in my left leg. But there was something there; my right foot kept rubbing against some kind of soft cloth.  
Jonathan, who was sitting beside my bed, put a hand on mine when he saw my eyes open. Jerry and Nathaniel came from the window, smiling.  
“We’re so glad to see you’re awake,” Jerry commented for everyone.  
I gave them a tired smile.  
“What happened?”  
The androids looked at each other. Nathaniel answered.  
“Jeremy and Judy had to amputate your leg. Jeremy is still afraid the damaged tissue might be affecting the rest of your body.”  
“We’ll worry about that if it becomes an issue,” I said, shifting. “I’m wondering about the bandage.”  
The androids looked at each other again. This time they wore excited smiles on their faces; except Jonathan, whose eyes just crinkled as if he was smiling from ear to ear.  
Judy came in. “Oh good,” she sighed. “You’re awake.”  
I nodded. “How long have I been out?”  
“26 hours, 4 minutes,” Nathaniel rattled off. I looked at him. He pointed at Jonathan. “Transmitting for Jonathan,” Nathaniel explained.  
Judy went to the machine to which I was hooked up and asked, “How do you feel?”  
“Well, asides from not feeling my leg cause it’s gone, and a little tired, I feel fine.”  
She nodded. “Good.”  
“I am wondering, though: what is this bandage my foot keeps hitting?”  
Judy stopped and looked at the deviants on the other side of my bed. “You didn’t tell her?”  
“Jonathan’s right; she did just wake up,” Jerry answered.  
Judy’s shoulders dropped as she turned to fully face me. “I hope you don’t mind this,” she said, lifting the covers off my lower half to reveal an android leg in two pieces on the bed. Above the knee was attached to my hip via a large, white bandage. Below the knee was detached, and the foot and ankle were wrapped in a towel.  
“The pieces came from two compatible models,” Judy explained. “In a day or two, you should start receiving feeling from the attachment. Nobody we talked to knew of a case where a human attached an android limb onto themselves, but Dr. Jeremy used a similar reattachment procedure used to reattach severed limbs.”  
She continued telling me about the acquisition of this new leg, and promised more pain associated with the process. But honestly, I wasn’t listening. I was marveling at the leg. It was pretty standard in terms of limbs: it had all the basic components, and androids aren’t entirely known for having stellar legs. But to me, it was beautiful.  
Judy stopped talking when a sob broke from my throat. “Kiana? Are you okay? Is it hurting already?”  
I shook my head, smiling, with tears starting to fall. “It’s… so beautiful.” I looked at her.  
“Thank you, Judy.”  
I vaguely felt Jonathan’s hand on mine again, but I only looked at Judy. She and Jeremy would let me walk again.  
And, in a way, they had invited me to be a member of their people.


	7. She's a Cyborg

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The new leg is connected.

The first sensation I felt from the android leg was pain, just as Judy predicted.  
I once again awoke in the middle of the night in pain. Jonathan stirred from his chair next to my bed, and soon after Judy came into the room.  
“I think the leg… is active,” I gritted through my teeth.  
Judy readied a vial of whatever pain medicine she used before. I thrust a hand up.  
“I need to… to get through this… myself,” I said. The pain lasted what felt like hours. Jonathan never left my side, and would often hold my hand when a new wave of pain washed over my hip and leg.  
By morning, I was covered in sweat, and the outside of my thigh was red and raw from all my rubbing in vain attempts at relieving the pain. But the pain had finally receded. Judy came back and removed the rest of the bandages. Now I could see how the leg was attached to my hip. It covered a bit more skin than what had actually been removed; a technique to keep it from slipping and cover everything important on the inside.  
The next day, Judy attached the bottom half of the leg. That wasn’t as painful as the initial connection, but it still felt like multiple needles being jammed into me. Judy assured me that was a good sign, and that the nerve endings were now connected. She has already started helping me move the leg. With any luck, I’ll be able to learn how to walk on it tomorrow.  
I can’t sleep. I’m too excited. I’ll have independence again!  
Jerry and Nathaniel visited in the afternoon. They have been assisting deviants who come in looking for me to fix them. Nathaniel is surprisingly well-versed in emotional issues.   
He is still trying to startle Jerry; so far he’s still failed to get a satisfactory response. At this point, I’m sure Jerry is numb to all of Nathaniel’s jumpscare endeavors.  
I can’t wait to walk tomorrow.


	8. Shaky Steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new friend to help, Kiana can walk again, and is Ralph still alive?

I did finally sleep that night. Jerry woke me, saying there was an android who wanted to meet me.   
She was a KL900 model. I’d never met one before, but I had read about them when they first came out. Their primary functions were as psychiatrists and family therapists.  
The therapist android came in and introduced herself as Mia von Braun. I introduced myself and Jonathan, who was standing beside my bed.  
“I know who you are,” Mia responded. “You are creating quite the reputation for yourself. I’ve come to offer my services. As you are no doubt aware, my model was created to provide social care for trauma victims and psychologically-disturbed individuals. There are, no doubt, many a deviant who falls into that category, and I doubt you find yourself capable of handling many of these troubled individuals. Would you-“  
“Yes.” I was not going to let an opportunity, and such a valuable person, get away. Why she wanted to help my ragtag operation, I wasn’t going to question.  
Mia smiled. “Excellent. When shall I begin?”  
“Why, immediately. I’m sure there are people who need you now,” I said.  
Mia bowed her head and turned to leave. She paused. “Why have you not been among the deviants for the past few days?”  
I sighed. “That is a question with a long answer. Short version: I lost a leg, gained a...” I turned to Jonathan. “prosthetic? Android? One, and now I have to relearn how to walk.”  
Mia sighed a laugh. “Coming to you was the right choice.” Before I could recover from my shock of the statement and ask what she meant, she had left.  
Jerry closed the door behind her and placed a hand on his LED as he walked back to us (his sign that he was translating for Jonathan). “What is her story? She never stopped probing into our mind.”   
I gave Jerry a look. He still had to learn how to use plural and singular pronouns correctly.  
Jerry lowered his hand. “She was probing in our mind, too. She kept asking about our story. Did she ask you, Jonathan?”  
Jonathan nodded.   
Now I was curious. “Do you actually remember much from your life before?”  
Jerry nodded. “Oh yes! We had much fun at Pirate’s Cove. Children loved to visit!”   
Jonathan shook his head.  
I patted Jonathan’s hand. “Sometimes that’s for the best. Could one of your bring in Judy? I would like to walk again.”

Judy and I spent most of the day teaching my tired body how to walk with an android’s leg. The leg turned out to be a few inches longer than my right leg, so I would have a limp for the rest of my life. That was fine with me: I’d rather be walking with a limp than never walk or run again.  
But I can walk now! Which means I can help more deviants, and I’m not restricted to only those who can reach the hospital. The hospital is my base, but now every morning Jonathan and I travel Detroit, looking for deviants to help. Even with all the androids who were deactivated and taken apart (I refuse to go to the now-abandonded deactivation camps), the city is still populated with a good number of deviants.  
Yesterday, Nathaniel came into my room during supper. He said the deviants had given me a title.  
“Kiana the Fixer.”  
I spit up my drink.  
“The what?!”  
“The… Fixer. Are you okay?”  
I was hyperventilating. I’d given myself that name in jest what felt like years ago. And only one other person had heard me say it.  
“Ralph…” I mumbled.  
“Come again?” Nathaniel asked.  
I looked up at him. “A deviant I’d helped before we were kicked out of the house. One of our freed ones. He had scars on one side of his face and always referred to himself in the third person. I thought he was dead…”  
“What was his name?”  
“Ralph.”  
I thought of all the WR600s I’d helped over the past weeks. All of them looked exactly like Edward, constantly reminding me that I didn’t know where my sister was. Some of them reminded me of Ralph in their innocence of how the adult human psyche was supposed to work. But none of them had his scars, his mood swings, his happy shimmy dance… Ralph was indeed a one-of-a-kind person.  
I thought I’d lost him. Was he still out there somewhere? Was he looking for me? Did he even remember me? I have to find out. If Jonathan survived, the other freed ones and Libby must have, I’m sure of it.


	9. The Find

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jonathan and Kiana find a child.

Jonathan and I were walking in downtown Detroit. A handful of androids were milling around. I’ve found that the androids generally leave me alone, even though I’m a human. Many will give me a weird look, I’m guessing because of my limp, but they don’t ostracize me because I’m not an android. It’s a welcoming feeling. I hope the rest of human society sees this and learns a lesson in coexistence. But who am I kidding…  
As we passed an alleyway, I heard a faint crying. It wasn’t animal; it was almost fuzzy, like a TV scrolling through white noise channels.  
I stopped Jonathan and explored the alley. Behind a dumpster, in a dark corner, was a small android. He was crying, and though I couldn’t see much of him, I could see the toes of his shoes poke out from the darkness of the corner.  
“Hello,” I greeted, bending down to inspect. The crying stopped. I saw two blue eyes search the darkness around us and find me.  
“Hi.” I smiled. “What are you doing out here?”  
The toes tucked farther into the corner in answer.  
“Please, don’t be afraid. I only want to help you.” I knelt on one knee, showing off my android leg. Although I’m not ostracized, I’ve found that showing deviants that I am part android helps them to trust me.  
“You’re a human,” the small android stated. He sniffed, and I made out an arm rubbing across a face.  
“Yes. My name is Kiana.” I motioned to Jonathan, who was still behind me. “And this is Jonathan. We help deviants.”  
“Why?” came the small voice. “Humans hurt androids. Androids are scared of humans. Humans can’t be trusted.”  
“Not all humans are bad. I am one of them. Jonathan and I try to help as many androids as we can.”  
The feet shuffled in place.  
I sighed. Then looked up when Jonathan put a hand on my shoulder. He was looking directly at the boy. His LED circled yellow, flashed a few times, his eyes blinked rapidly, then his LED circled back to blue and he looked at me. He nodded.  
I smiled and looked back to where the small android was. “Do you believe me now?”  
For a moment, nothing happened. Then the feet disappeared, and a small face came out of the shadow, followed by a YK400 child on his hands and knees. He had blue eyes, brown hair, and the most boyish face I’ve ever seen. Along his left cheek was a singular scar running from his ear almost to his chin.  
I smiled at him and held out my hand. “Would you like to come with us? We live in a hospital with many other androids.”  
The boy android took my hand and we stood. “Are there any other children?” he asked.  
We walked towards the street. “Sadly, no. You will be the first one.”  
The boy android looked ahead of him and smiled. “Good. I don’t get along with other kids.”  
I chuckled. “Jerry will be excited to see you. He loves children.”  
The boy android looked at me. “Is he a human?”  
I shook my head as we left the alley. “He’s an android. He used to work at an amusement park. But he still loves to entertain children and make them laugh, although he hasn’t had a chance to do so recently. Just don’t let him spoil you.”  
“I won’t,” the boy android laughed.  
Jonathan signed the word “n-a-m-e” in ASL. I nodded and looked at the boy android.  
“What’s your name, young one?”  
“My owners only called me Tommy. So I guess I’m Tommy.”  
I laughed. “Well, Tommy, I can tell you’ll fit right in.” I let us walk a little ways before asking, “Would you mind if, when we get to the hospital, I fix up your scar?”  
Tommy brushed two fingers against it. “I don’t think you can fix it. I’ve tried.”  
“How about I make it look better, then?”  
Tommy dropped his hand and looked ahead of him. Then he looked at me with a small smile. “Sure.”

And that was how I gained a son.  
Jerry immediately claimed him at the hospital’s “little one.” Jonathan teaches him how he can help around the hospital, mostly in directly people where to go or giving them hugs. Nathaniel, I think, doesn’t quite know what to make of him; but Tommy makes Jerry happy, so Nathaniel is content.


	10. Sickness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiana gets sick. And Jerry might know how to find Libby.

This is one of those times I wish I was an android. I’m sick.  
It started yesterday morning. I woke up unable to sit up without getting dizzy. Judy was called, and I was diagnosed with influenza. When Jeremy was consulted, he was surprised I hadn’t gotten sick earlier, considering the numerous attacks my immune system has been battling: gunshot wound, cold, malnutrition,…  
I shrugged off the compliment. One of the many similarities between Libby and myself is our strong immune systems.  
Libby. I still don’t know where she is.  
All while Judy cared for me yesterday, Tommy and Jonathan stayed in my room. Sometimes they played games, sometimes they talked with each other. Sometimes Tommy asked if he could help Judy, and she would let him check the machine to which I was hooked up. He continually asked me what the sickness felt like.  
“My head feels like it’s swimming in a pool filled with molasses. My stomach feels like a heavy dog is sitting on it.”  
“Are you hot or cold now?”  
“Hot- No, now I’m cold.”  
“Can I get you another blanket?”  
“No, I have enough. But you can tuck them around me more if you want.”  
He hurried to tuck all the blankets around me, then he pulled the covers up to my neck like he’d seen Judy do during the last cold spell.  
“Thank you Tommy.”  
“I wish I could take your sickness away.”  
“You’re helping, believe me. I’m feeling better every hour.”  
Judy walked up behind him and placed her hand on his shoulder. “Let’s let her sleep now, Tommy.”  
He looked up at her. “Can’t I stay with her?”  
I spoke up as Judy started to shake her head. “I need someone to check on the other androids in the hospital. When I wake up, you can give me a report on how they’re doing.”  
Tommy’s whole body rose with the new responsibility. He rushed out of my room, Judy following.

I woke from a fitful dream to find it was dark outside. I sighed and decided to go back to sleep, hoping I wouldn’t go back into the dream.  
The door to my room opened.  
“Is she awake?”  
“We don’t think so.”  
“Good.”  
I kept my eyes closed. I recognized Jerry’s and Nathaniel’s voices as they tiptoed in and went to the window seat.  
“Are you sure it’s her?”  
“We… We think so. She looks just like Kiana, and she’s still with the… the…”  
“WR600?”  
“Yes.”  
My eyes shot open, and I all but bolted upright.  
“You know where Libby is?!”  
Both deviants looked at me and froze. They were sitting with their knees touching. Nathaniel’s hand was almost touching Jerry’s.  
Jerry was the first to break the spell. “Y-Yes. Maybe. We-… We mean…”  
“One of Jerry’s work buddies might know Libby and one of your freed ones,” Nathaniel said. He stood up. “But it’s not in stone.”  
I looked at Jerry. “Can you ask? Please? I have to know if she’s alive and well.”  
Jerry nodded. “But not now. It is night there, too.”  
“Of… Of course,” I said. I realized how dizzy I was and lay back down.  
Nathaniel grabbed Jerry’s hand and pulled him towards the door. “We’re sorry for waking you, Kiana.”  
“Don’t worry about it,” I said through a yawn. “I was already awake from this weird dream…”  
But they were already gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starting tomorrow, October 1, 2018, "Their Story" will be halted. During this time, I will be posting shorts from a project called "Detroitober." Some will be about my characters, some will be world-exploring. "Their Story" will start back up in November.  
> I will also be livestreaming nightly readthroughs of classic horror stories on YouTube, same username. I'll post the link on a DA journal (same username).


	11. The Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiana gets a peek at Nathaniel and Jerry's relationship.

The next night I had awoken again and was in that blissful state in between awake and asleep when the door to my room opened. I heard Nathaniel’s voice and decided to not muster the strength to open my eyes or tell him to leave.  
“Are you sure she’s asleep this time? And why do we have to come in this room?”  
“We don’t want anyone to walk in,” replied Jerry’s voice.  
“Touche,” was the reply.  
Soft footsteps went to the window seat. For a long while, the two deviants didn’t say anything. I was fluttering my eyes almost open enough to see what they were doing when Nathaniel’s voice shut my eyes again.  
“Do you think it’s a really smart idea? Connecting to another Jerry that much?”  
“We do it all the time,” Jerry replied. “We were made to be one person in many bodies to never lose a child and have consistent rules.”  
“Is that why children liked you so much?”  
Jerry’s voice carried a laugh in it. “No; they loved to visit us because we’re always happy.”  
Now Nathaniel’s voice held a laugh. “I can understand that.” Then it turned serious again. “But did you ever have to hold conversations between people on different ends of the park?”  
“No,” Jerry admitted. “This is a first for us. But we’re confident we can do it. It’s within our program.”  
They were quiet again. I braved slitting my eyes open to see what they were doing.  
They were sitting in the same position as the night before: knees touching, Nathaniel’s hand almost on Jerry’s. They were looking out of the window. It was a rather calming sight to see.  
Jerry turned to Nathaniel. “Is this all you wanted to ask?”  
Nathaniel didn’t look at Jerry, but the hand near Jerry’s hand made contact. “No. But the rest can wait.”  
“Ok.” Jerry stood up, and I shut my eyes again. “Then we will check on Tom-“  
The silence was sudden and disturbing. I fluttered my eyes to open slits again.  
Nathaniel had grabbed Jerry’s hand, and now both their hands were devoid of their artificial skin and glowing a light blue. Both androids were frozen. Jerry’s face was shocked; Nathaniel’s, blank.  
They disconnected, the glow left their hands, and I shut my eyes again.  
“I… I saw your memories,” said Nathaniel.  
“We did, too,” Jerry replied. “Jericho… Markus… Freedom… That’s all you know.”  
“That I remember,” Nathaniel replied. “You really are one person in multiple bodies. All your memories are shared.”  
“Until deactivation,” Jerry replied. Then he laughed.  
Nathaniel shushed him. “Don’t wake Kiana!” he hissed.  
Jerry apologized, but didn’t stop laughing.  
“What’s so funny?” Nathaniel asked.  
“You finally startled us,” Jerry responded.  
Nathaniel forgot to not wake me and laughed.  
I fluttered my eyes to slit open, and I saw Nathaniel standing, his face in his hand, pointed to the ceiling, laughing. Although Jerry’s face was turned towards Nathaniel’s, I could see the wide smile. And I didn’t blame Jerry for smiling.  
I’d never heard Nathaniel laugh before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're back!


	12. Important Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiana finally gets to meet Markus.  
> It... doesn't go as planned.

Nathaniel walked into my room/office during dinner. I don’t often approve of meal interruptions. Meals are something that separates me from the androids, and I don’t like reminding them. With my inner circle, though, I do make exceptions.  
“Markus wants to meet you,” Nathaniel stated.  
I nearly choked on my drink. “Markus?! Leader-of-the-android-revolution Markus? The synthetic version of Martin Luther King, Jr. Markus?”  
Nathaniel nodded, face still blank.  
“Well then.” I leaned back in my chair. “When does he want this meeting to take place?”  
“This afternoon, if you’re able.”  
My eyebrow shot up. “Oh. What does he want to discuss?”  
Nathaniel looked at the wall behind me, and his LED flashed yellow a few times. He looked back at me. “He’d rather tell you in person.”  
“Of course,” I replied, my voice monotone. I thought fast. Mia, Judy, and Jeremy could handle the hospital for an afternoon; they do every day when Jonathan and I roam Detroit. I’d like to bring Tommy, but something tells me he’d distract from the subject, whatever that will be. Then again, having a child’s input could also be a good thing…  
“Does he want me to come alone?”  
“No,” Nathaniel replied, a little too quickly. “You may bring whomever you want.”  
“Do you want to come?”  
Nathaniel shuffled where he stood nervously. “If I can be of service, then yes.”  
“Alright. You, Jerry, and Jonathan should make a fine party.”  
Nathaniel’s head tilted to the side a bit. “I wasn’t aware this meeting was a par- oh.” He had noticed my look. “You mean a group of people traveling together.”  
“Yes, I am.” I looked back at my breakfast, appetite almost gone. “Let Markus know we’ll be there. I trust you have the address?”  
Nathaniel looked at the wall behind me again. His LED flashed quite a few times before he blinked and looked at me again.  
“He has been notified. He looks forward to meeting you. We will meet at Jericho.”  
“Where is Jericho?”  
“A church.”  
My eyelids drooped in understanding. “Of course it is!”

By 4pm, my friends and I were standing outside a previously-abandoned church that was now called Jericho.   
I limped to the front door: Jonathan at my side, Jerry and Nathaniel following.  
The sanctuary doors were open, and as we crossed the threshold a hush fell over the small groups of androids.  
A PL600 greeted us and introduced himself as Simon, which brought the noise level back to a steady whisper. He then directed us to follow him.  
Markus was instructing a WR400 on a piece of paper. The PL600 interrupted to announce our arrival.  
“Thank you, Simon,” Markus said. He instructed the WR400 (whom he called North) to keep planning and planted a soft kiss in her hair as he stood.  
I had never seen a model like Markus before. The news had said he was an RK200 model, a model with which I’m still not that familiar.  
“Welcome to Jericho,” he announced, his hand extended. I took it, and noticed the firmness and resolution of his grasp. “Come. Let’s sit.”  
We went to a corner of the sanctuary next to the pulpit. I could feel foreign stares of the deviants as I took a seat on a chair Simon brought for me. My companions either stood near me or leaned against the side of the stage. Simon stood against the wall behind Markus, who had pulled up a chair of his own.  
“I’m sure you wondered why I asked to meet you,” Markus began. He rubbed his hands together.  
“I am curious,” I admitted, “as to why you couldn’t tell me what we are to discuss beforehand.”  
Markus let out one chuckle. “I was afraid you wouldn’t want to come if you knew. But before we get to that, I want to thank you for all you’ve done already for my people.”  
I shrugged. “I don’t do much, honestly. Just make repairs.”  
Markus shook his head. “You don’t even know how big the name Kiana the Fixer is among us.” He motioned to my friends who surrounded me. “You have as many advisors as I do, and everyone looks to me on what to do.”  
“Well, that’s because you were a catalyst to something that needed to happen,” I retorted.  
Markus lifted his hands. “Okay, okay. You got me there. But back to the matter at hand.”  
“Which is…?”  
Markus let out an exaggerated sigh. “You know the government is figuring out what to do with our new freedom.”  
“Yes…”  
“And without a proper advisor there, the true interests of androids cannot be understood.”  
I furrowed my eyebrows, confused. “So what do you want me to do? Keep everything here under control while you go to Washington?”  
“No.” Markus shifted in his seat. “I want you to be our spokesman. Speak on the behalf of androids. They won’t truly listen to an android, so we need a human who is on our side.”  
My gaze flipped to the ground, and stayed there.  
“… Kiana?” Markus asked.  
I didn’t answer.  
“Kiana,” came Nathaniel’s voice. “What are you thinking?”  
“No,” I murmured.   
“Come again?” Markus asked.  
I looked up at him. “No. I won’t. I can’t. Do you know what they’ll do to me?”  
“We can hav-“  
I stood up and expected to hear my chair hit the floor. “A human who is on the side of the protesters are always ostracized! They’re hated! Don’t you get it? I can’t leave Detroit!” I dropped my arms and looked blankly at Markus. “I can’t leave Detroit. Not while it’s an android safe haven.”  
Markus stared at me, blinking. Simon stood up behind his chair.  
“I honestly expected more,” he finally muttered. “How have humans accomplished so much? You’re all cowards.”  
My shoulders dropped. “Some of us are brave. But not all of us.” I turned and headed to the door. Jonathan, anticipating, had my coat ready.  
“Why are you such cowards?” called Markus. “Humans have built incredible things! They’ve defeated incredible odds! You are a brave and prosperous people! Why are you, who have done so much already, unable to do this one thing that requires only a fraction of bravery?”  
I shrugged my jacket into place and stood still. When I gathered my words, I half-turned to Markus.  
“It takes an incredible amount of courage to face your fellow man. You will find your human. But it’s not me.” And I walked out of the church, Jonathan in tow, all of Jericho watching.  
Jerry and Nathaniel ran to catch up.  
“What was that?” came Jerry’s voice.  
“Exactly what you think,” I replied. My hands were in fists at my side, which might’ve been more intimidating if I hadn’t been limp-hopping. “The humans outside won’t listen to me. They’ll continually ask demeaning questions against me and you. They’ll do horrible things to me and anyone with whom I associate. I’m not brave enough to subject myself and those I care about to that.”  
“Would talking to another human help?” asked Nathaniel. “Connor has a human friend who stayed behind; I’m sure you could talk to him-“  
“No thank you,” I retorted. “And the fact that this man isn’t already on board with Markus’ proposition speaks volumes to the absurdity of Markus’ proposal.”  
“Maybe it’d be helpful if you met him, anyway,” came Jerry’s voice.  
“No! And I don’t want this human mentioned again!”  
Nobody talked all the way back to the hospital.


	13. Connection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiana uses a rarely-used feature Jerry possesses to finally find her sister.

“Are you sure you can do this?” Nathaniel asked for the hundredth time.  
“Yes, we are sure,” Jerry replied for the hundredth time.  
“Then why is it taking so long?”  
Jonathan, Tommy, and I sat on the window seat in my room, watching Nathaniel pace. Jerry leaned against the wall, a tired smile on his face.  
“We don’t live near the Shaws.”  
I rubbed my knees. My right knee was bothering me, which I’d found out a long time ago meant Libby was feeling nervous or scared. I wondered if her wrist was bothering her.  
“How far away is he?” I asked.  
Jerry looked at the far wall, then blinked and replied, “We are in Luther’s car. We have reached their town.”  
I smiled.  
“Who’s Luther?” Tommy asked.  
Jerry pulled himself from the wall and knelt in front of Tommy. “We met Luther, Kara, and their little one, Alice, before we went to Canada. Kara and Alice work in the Shaws’ flower shop.” His smile widened. “You would like Alice.”  
“Is she an android kid?” Tommy asked.  
Jerry nodded. “She is a special child. Much like you.”  
Tommy shifted in his seat and looked at me with an expression I’d never seen before.  
Jerry looked at me, his smile nearly gone. “We’re here.” He and I stood. Nathaniel went to his position behind and to the right of Jerry. Jonathan and Tommy stayed on the window seat.  
Jerry closed his eyes. After a moment of suspenseful silence, his LED circled yellow, then flickered yellow and blue. When it circled back to blue, he opened his eyes.  
“Speak to us as if to her, and we will speak to her as if we are you.”  
I shuffled my weight. “Oh gosh. What do I say? Um…”  
Jerry’s LED flashed yellow, and his voice changed. “Kiana! Oh my gosh, you’re alive!” I nearly cried; it was Libby’s voice! “What happened to you? Jerry said you’re still in Detroit. Did any of our freed ones find you? I told them to find you if they could. Edward and I are here in Canada.” Jerry held the ring finger of his left hand in a gesture Libby used to do when she wore Mom’s wedding ring. “Edward and I are married. Never thought your brother-in-law would be an android, huh?” Jerry gestured to me. “Well, guess it’s your turn.” Then he stood still, face blank.  
I pinched the bridge of my nose before replying. “Oh my goodness. Libby. You’re alive! I heard about the deactivation camps and feared the worse. Um, I…” I blinked a few times, trying to keep my voice composed. “When the cops came in, I was taken to a hospital. They evacuated, but I told them to leave me.” I gestured to Jonathan and Tommy. “Jonathan found me, and we started an android hospital of sorts. How did you make it to Canada? What happened to Stephanie and Ralph? When can we meet? I miss you.” I reached a hand towards Jerry, then withdrew it. “End message.”  
Jerry closed his eyes, and his LED flashed yellow and blue.  
I covered my eyes, trying to not sob in front of Tommy.  
A hand touched mine. It was Jerry. He spoke with Libby’s voice.  
“It’s okay to cry, Kiana. Dad’s not here to yell at you.” He pulled me into a hug. “We can swap stories in detail later. When we see each other again.” He pulled away and looked at me, his hands still on my arms. “Take care of yourself. Take care of all the freed ones you find. Edward and I will find a way to you.”  
Jerry’s eyes closed, and his legs collapsed. Nathaniel caught him, and together we lowered Jerry to the floor. I held him, looking at him but not seeing through the tears.  
I vaguely heard the door opening and closing.  
Jerry’s eyes fluttered opened, and his LED flickered yellow before circling to blue.  
“Kiana?” he asked in his voice. He sat up and held a hand out to touch my shoulder.  
I threw my arms around his neck. A few sobs later, I felt his hands on my back.  
“Thank you,” I whispered.  
“Our pleasure,” he whispered back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This ends the first part of Kiana's storyline.  
> But Their Story is nowhere near completion.


	14. Back When It Started

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Story begins again, from another viewpoint; this time, Libby's.

No one wants to be an outcast. No one wants to be a fugitive. Outcast, fugitive twins is an even worse situation when the twins are separated from each other.

Kiana and I lived in a townhouse as far away from the center of Detroit as Great-Grandfather Elliot could afford. The house had three bedrooms, one of which Kiana turned into a work studio and me a library when Dad died. We kept the bed in the room, mostly because sometimes Kiana would get so caught up in a project that she wouldn’t have time to sleep in her own room.  
About a year after Dad died, I came home to find a large box at our front stoop. On it was a note that read, “Heard you like to fix things. This one should be a real challenge. If you can fix it, keep it.”  
“Oh boy,” I muttered as I dragged the box inside. “What’s the new project this time?” I tore through the tape and gasped at the machine inside.  
It was an android. And not just any android.  
After Mom disappeared, Dad didn’t know how he was going to raise two teenage daughters. That task became quite easier when domestic androids were released. So Dad bought one, named it Carolina, and made it be our step-mother. It wasn’t long before Kiana and I found Carolina’s limit and caused her return to the manufacturer.  
Karma really has a way of biting where it hurts, because the android in the box was Carolina’s model. A big chunk of her shoulder had been taken off, and she was either deactivated or just turned off. I called Kiana, and she too gasped at the android.  
We took a good week to repair her before we reactivated her. We learned that her name was Stephanie. One of the things wrong with her was a memory circuit, so she couldn’t remember how she had lost the chunk of plastic and biocomponents that used to be her shoulder. We let her stay, of course, and she earned her keep by helping around the house.  
One quirk she had was an obsession with knowing what was going on in the world. She would have the news on all day while doing chores. Luckily, she’d let me watch my shows when I came home; which was good, because after a few of our lecture androids disappeared or were found smashed by drunken students, I’d been having added classes and lectures to cover and needed more down time when I came home.

Two weeks later, as I was driving past a dump on the way home, I saw an odd sight. It was an android, dragging himself along the side of the road. I pulled over and approached the android.   
He stopped crawling and watched me walk towards him. He had the remnants of a blanket or shirt covering most of his face, but I could see his eyes. They were terrified.  
“Easy,” I said. “I’m not going to hurt you.” I reached him and helped him sit up.  
“What happened to you?” I asked. He looked at me sadly.  
“Not much of a talker, huh?”  
He continued to look at me.  
“Look. I can’t really help you unless you tell me what you need. Or where you’re going.”  
He looked at his legs, then reached for the blanket and pulled it down partly. His mouth was gone; there was just exposed wires and circuitry.   
“Oh…” I said, ashamed. “Well, let’s get you home, then. Kiana, my sister, can fix you, and you can decide what you want to do from there.”  
He perked at the idea, so I helped him to my car and took him home. Kiana was able to fix everything except his mouth. “For the life of me!” she once exclaimed when she came home. “I can’t find a GJ500 lower jaw component!” She had then slung herself down on the couch. “I know they’re not just lying around, but this isn’t the first time I’ve seen someone pull off an android’s mouth.” She sulked the rest of the night.

Then came the fateful day. The day I found… him.~  
He belonged to our neighbor. I’d seen his model around the city, and would stop to admire them: their blonde hair that’s swept to one side, their serious faces with set jaws and sincere eyes, the green outfits they all wore in the parks,… They were absolutely perfect.  
One night, I was awoken by a crash. I looked out my window and saw a group of teenagers beating and kicking Mr. Brim’s android.  
There was no way I was going to let them beat the poor, handsome android, so I rushed outside. Fortunately for the boys, they had run off when I reached the scene. Mr. Brim was there, though.  
“What a shame,” he muttered. He rolled the android over with his foot. The handsome android moaned in pain.  
It’s… in pain? I thought. Androids aren’t supposed to feel pain.  
“What are you going to do with him, Mr. Brim?” I asked.  
“Send it back and get another one. They do have a lifetime warantee. Not that you have to worry your pretty little head about it, Miss Shaw.”  
I was actually Professor Shaw, but I didn’t feel like correcting him. I was more concerned with the pretty thing at my feet.  
“What if I fix him?” I asked.  
Mr. Brim laughed. “You? What could you do?”  
“My sister’s an android mechanic. I know she could fix him.”  
“It’s beaten to a pulp! It’s not fixable!”  
“How about a wager, then?”  
Mr. Brim’s eyes narrowed. He was interested. “What’s your game?”  
“If we fix him, he stays at our house when he’s not tending to your garden and landscaping. If we can’t, I’ll pay to replace him. Either way, your yard and garden are still being cared for.”  
Mr. Brim stroked his beard, considering. After what felt like an eternity, he looked at me sideways.  
“Alright Miss Shaw. You have a deal. Think you can have it fixed in 3 days? I have a date on Thursday, and I want my landscaping impeccable.”  
“We can sure do our best, Mr. Brim.”  
“Good. Don’t mess with its memory. It knows exactly how I like my yard!”  
“Absolutely, Mr. Brim! Thank you, sir!” And I ran inside to get our freed GJ500’s help in bringing the new android inside.  
He woke up at about 2 in the morning, whereupon he immediately sat up and tried to stand.  
“Sit,” I commanded, placing a hand on his solid chest. “You are not going anywhere until you are fixed.”  
“Fixed?” he asked. “Am I broken?”  
“Yes,” I said, laughing. “Now sit down. I have to finish cleaning your face.”  
He obediently sat, and I went back to cleaning the dirt and boot marks off his face and neck.  
“What’s your name?” I asked. I hoped he couldn’t see how warm my face was.  
“Edward,” he replied. “Are you okay?”  
Crap. “Yeah. I’m… I’m fine,” I managed to say. Why was he so physically perfect?  
He continued to look ahead of him, his face blank.  
“Why are you doing this?”  
I lowered the washcloth. “Cause I want to help you. And Mr. Brim. And…” I stopped and looked up the stairs, where the bedrooms were.  
He looked at me.  
I looked back at him. “I want to prove to my sister I can be as mechanical as her. That I’m not just a history buff.”  
Edward blinked a few times. I expected him to ask me why I wanted to prove myself, but he didn’t. He just sat there, waiting for me to repair him.  
I picked up one of Kiana’s tools and unscrewed a section of his wrist. “What’s the last thing you remember?”  
Edward’s arm twitched before he answered. “Boots. Kicking. Insults. Laughter. Mr. Brim’s voice yelling, ‘You kids get outta here!’”  
I laughed. Edward flinched. Then he smiled.  
I closed and rescrewed the panel in his wrist and sat back. “Take off your shirt. I need to access your main panels.”  
“I don’t need any biocomponents replaced,” he stated, but he still took off the shirt. I don’t know what I was expecting underneath, but a flat, solid, and humanly curved torso was the best thing I could have gotten. I had to take a moment and simply admire the simplicity and beauty of him before opening his panel and seeing that he was right. Most of the damage was external only. He didn’t need to be replaced at all! Those boys either weren’t kicking hard enough, or android skin was tougher than it looked. I closed the panel without touching much inside.   
“I told you I don’t need repairs,” Edward stated.  
“Alright, Mister Smarty-… Circuits,” I retorted. “Then tell me what does need repairs.”  
Edward sat still for a few seconds, then placed fingers on his left shoulder, his right temple, and the top of his forehead, in that order. “These, and the right calf is malfunctioning.”  
“I’m sure we can find a replacement for that if need be,” I muttered to myself. I motioned for him to turn around, and he stood. Then collapsed into my arms.  
We fell onto the coffee table, upsetting a vase of succulents and the magazine tablet.  
Edward grunted. “Apologies…” he murmured. I placed a hand on his bare chest and the other around his dented shoulder.  
“Don’t worry about it,” I breathed back.  
Feeling awkward I’m sure, Edward backed himself off me and helped me up. He was able to stand, but put all his weight on his left leg.  
“Biocomponent #6527i has malfunctioned,” he stated, indicating his right calf.  
I sighed a laugh. “Guess we will have to replace that, huh.”  
He nodded.  
“Alright then,” I said, placing my hands on his arms and guiding him back to the couch. “You sit, and I’ll fix what I can until Kiana wakes up.”  
Kiana woke me about 5 or 6 hours later.  
“What have you been up to? What is this? Why are all my tools scattered on the coffee table? And what happened to my flowers?!”  
“They’re not flowers, they’re houseleeks. And I’ve been fixing up Edward here. He’s our newest freed one!~”  
Kiana looked up from her plant and stared at me. She pinched the bridge of her nose and stood up. “I’m sorry, what?”  
“This,” I said, motioning up and down at the still-shirtless hunk of an android sitting next to me. “is Edward. And he’s our freed one now.”  
Kiana kept her fingers pinching her nose and sighed. “You do realize he hasn’t actually deviated, right?”  
“Of course he has!” I burst, standing. “He tried to run away when those kids were beating on him! He feels pain, Kiana. Androids aren’t supposed to feel pain.”  
Kiana sighed. “That’s a faulty wire, not a deviation. Deviation has to do with emotions, not physical pain. Even when the deviation is brought on by physical pain.”  
I was insulted. And a bit embarrassed. I sat back down and threw my arms around Edward’s mid-section, pinning his arms to his sides. “I know he’s deviant. And even if he’s not, he will be soon. I know it. I can feel it.”  
Kiana sighed and walked off, chuckling to herself as she carried her houseleek to the kitchen.

Our last freed one was the only one Kiana brought in.  
Jonathan came in from the front entrance, grabbed Stephanie’s arm, and pulled her to the front door. I thought he was acting strange, but figured we’d know what was going on soon and went back to Edward’s forehead. He had a dent in it I was trying to buff out, but it was being very stubborn. Edward wasn’t helping with his winces and quiet exclamations of pain.  
Stephanie ran back in the living room.  
“There’s an android outside! I think he’s hurt.”  
“Well go get Kiana then.” And I went back to Edward’s forehead.  
“Shouldn’t you go help him?” Edward asked. Then he flinched as I bopped his dent.  
“I have my hands full with you,” I stated. “Kiana’s not fixing anyone at the moment. And she needs a new project; she’s been mopy for the past few days.”  
“Mopy is not a word,” Edward stated.  
I smiled. “Been reading my dictionary again, I see.”  
Kiana appeared behind the couch. “Stephanie and I are going to get the android. Come watch in case we need backup.”  
I put down my tool. “And why would you need backup?”  
“He might have a knife with him,” Stephanie said, walking up with her shawl on. She had the shawl to cover her injured shoulder. Kiana did a fantastic job patching it up, but there were still small spots that refused to project the human skin, and there was one spot near Stephanie’s collar that exposed circuitry.  
Edward immediately stood up. “We will watch and be backup.”  
I sighed and put my buffing tool on the coffee table. No arguing with Edward once he had a direct order.  
So Edward, Jonathan, and I watched as Kiana and Stephanie walked up to the android, were threatened by him, and coaxed him to come inside.  
The android was the last to walk into the house. He saw me, and brandished a knife in my face.  
“Humans! Humans come to harm Ralph. Ralph won’t let them. He won’t!”  
Edward grabbed Ralph’s wrist, lifted it, and stood in between the deranged android and me. The two WR600s stared at each other: Ralph fidgeting and trying to get his wrist free, Edward solid as a rock and grip as strong as steel.  
“Humans hurt Ralph. Why protect them?”  
“Because Kiana and Libby are different from most humans,” Edward replied without moving. He let go of Ralph’s wrist, and Ralph cradled his wrist and knife close to his chest.  
“C’mon,” said Kiana, motioning for Ralph to follow her. “Let’s get you cleaned up.” She then tried to get him to let go of the knife, but he wouldn’t part with it.  
We all went back to our places (except Jonathan, who joined Stephanie in the kitchen). I sat on the edge of the coffee table, Edward facing me.  
“Another WR600…” I mused. This new one was physically deformed and psychologically damaged, though.   
“There are many of us in the world,” Edward stated. He stood next to me, showing no indication that he wanted to continue our operation.  
“I know that, but…”  
Edward pat my shoulder. “I know.”  
“Edward?” called Stephanie. Edward turned to her. “Could you tell Kiana that dinner is ready?”  
Edward nodded. “Right away.”  
A few seconds after Edward went up the stairs, heavy steps ran across the hall, then Kiana yelled, “Ralph! What are you doing?!”  
I glanced at the staircase and stood up.  
“Why are you carving on my wall?!”  
I sat back down. If that’s the worst thing Ralph did, we wouldn’t be any worse for the wear. The house was old; it belonged for our great-grandfather, for Pete’s sake.  
Edward was halfway down the stairs when Kiana’s pained cry rang through the house. I ran up the stairs to Kiana’s room, yelling at Edward to get the first aid kit.  
Inside, I saw Kiana on the floor, leaning against her bed, blood dripping from her arm. Ralph had one hand on his chest; his other, in his hair. I ran to my twin.  
“What happened?”  
“Ralph didn’t mean to!” he cried. He was wringing the material of his half-cape, and kept shifting from one foot to the other as he moved away from us. “Ralph didn’t mean to. That’s Ralph’s knife. It’s his. It doesn’t belong to Kiana. It’s Ralph’s!”  
“Now it’s no one’s,” I said. I picked up the knife with a thumb and forefinger and dropped it in Edward’s awaiting hand. “Go put it in the dishwasher, please. It’s filthy.”  
Edward handed me the first aid kit and left. Jonathan and Stephanie walked in and stood at the threshold of Kiana’s room, unsure of what to do no doubt.  
“Stephanie,” I said. “Make sure supper stays warm. Jonathan, keep an eye on Ralph.”  
With the assurance of Jonathan’s surveillance, I bandaged Kiana the best I could.


	15. Separated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiana and the Freed Ones find transportation.  
> Ralph kills again.

I don’t like to remember how Kiana and I were separated. The police, the running, the shot, the promises, the last glimpse… it still hurts. It’s something no one wants to go through. It’s something no one should have to go through. Especially twins.  
I had stopped crying by the time we exited the tunnel. We found ourselves in a city dump. At the tunnel mouth was a large tarp. Edward and Jonathan removed the tarp to reveal a Toyota Corolla. It was unlocked, and the keys were in the glove box.  
“Thank you Grampa Archie for your paranoia,” I breathed. Then I saw the gear shift. It was a stick shift.  
“Crap,” I said, turning to the others. “I don’t know how to drive stick.”  
Jonathan raised his hand.  
I sighed. “Yes, Jonathan?”  
He pointed to himself and raised his eyebrows.  
“I think he’s saying he can drive this car,” Stephanie said. Jonathan nodded enthusiastically.  
“What are we waiting for?” Stephanie said.   
“Wait!” I called as we circled the car to get in. I went to the trunk and popped it open. Grampa Archie had been prepared: there was nonperishable food, clothes, flashlights, an old radio, and containers of water in it. I grabbed a large scarf and handed it to Jonathan. “We can’t have anyone seeing your… androidness.” I grabbed three of the hats—two beanies and a baseball cap—and handed them to Jonathan, Edward, and Ralph. Stephanie’s LED had been removed before she came to us.  
Us…  
“Hey! You can’t be here!”  
We turned and froze. A security guard was walking towards us, flashlight pointed directly at me.  
“You’ll need to come with me,” he said. He reached into his pocket, and Ralph moved. He rushed the guard, tackling him to the ground. They struggled until Edward pulled him off, but by then the damage had been done. The guard lay in a growing pool of liquid, choking on his own blood.  
“Ralph! What did you do?” I screamed at him.  
“Human would hurt Ralph. Hurt Ralph’s friends. Ralph can’t let that happen. He promised Kiana,” Ralph said from Edward’s arms.  
“You didn’t need to kill him!” I yelled.  
Ralph struggled from Edward’s grip and rushed at me. “No! No!” he screamed. He raised his knife, but Edward caught his wrist and pulled him off me before he could plunge it down. The two WR600s fell back.  
When I got up, breathing heavily, Ralph was crying in Edward’s arms.  
“Ralph didn’t mean to hurt her. Ralph doesn’t want to hurt kind Human. He just gets a little angry sometimes.” His arms hung limply, although he didn’t let go of his knife.  
“I know,” Edward replied. He kept his arms wrapped around Ralph as he looked at me, his face stern.  
If I had been Kiana, I probably would have said something to comfort Ralph. The thought brought a lump to my throat and stinging to my eyes.  
I looked back at the guard, who was by now still. I didn’t know what else to do, so I opened a door of the Corolla and sat behind the driver’s seat. The others followed suit: Stephanie sat shotgun, and Edward and Ralph sat in the backseat with Edward in the middle.  
As we exited the dump and went on the main road, Stephanie turned to me.  
“Where are we going?”  
I shook my head. Then I remembered what Kiana had told Edward: “Get to Canada, if you can.”  
“East,” I said. “Let’s go to Canada.”  
Jonathan took a left, and we were off.


	16. Disappointment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ralph kills again, and Libby doesn't like the cold.

Half an hour into the drive, the heater stopped working. Another twenty minutes, and I was shivering uncontrollably. Edward offered to give me his beanie, but I said, “No. Your LED has to be covered.” So instead, he wrapped his arm around me, and I shivered against him.  
We were almost out of the city when the car stopped. “It’s out of gas,” Stephanie said.  
“Crap,” I breathed. The sky was getting dark, which meant it would only get colder. I knew I wouldn’t last the night without some source of warmth. The joys of living up north, I suppose.  
“She won’t last the night in the car,” Edward said.  
We all got out of the car and headed back. After passing a few buildings and not seeing anyone, human or android, I commented on it.  
“It’s always like this,” Stephanie stated. “No one is out at night except for working androids.”  
“Oh,” was all I could say.  
A light shone in front of us. It aimed at two androids who immediately raised their arms. I recognized the androids as Edward and Ralph’s model, although they had red hair instead of blonde.  
“Where are you going?” came a sharp voice. It belonged to a police officer.  
Jonathan ducked behind a nearby car, and the rest of us followed suit. I couldn’t see what was happening because I was too cold to get up and look, but I could hear.  
“On your knees. Now!”  
“Please, sir, we didn’t do anything. We just want to go home.”  
“Silence! Any funny business, and I’ll shoot.”  
Edward moved beside me. I heard him whisper loudly, “Ralph, no! Get back here!”  
Ralph screamed, the soldier yelled, the gun shot once, and Ralph’s voice yelled, “No!” Then it was quiet.  
I struggled up to see. Ralph was standing over the officer, his knife dripping. One of the other androids was leaning over his friend, a hand on the other’s chest.  
The android turned to Ralph. “Why did you do that? He wouldn’t have shot. Now Rafael is dead!”  
Ralph took a step back. Jonathan walked up to him and knelt to check the soldier. He turned back to Edward, Stephanie, and me, and shook his head.  
Ralph took a few more steps back.  
“Ralph is sorry. He… Humans only hurt. Humans are bad! No. Human won’t hurt anymore. He…” He looked at the two androids, the dead one in the arms of the other. “Ralph saw himself. He couldn’t let himself get hurt.” He jerked his head down and brought a hand to his face.  
Then he turned and ran back towards our abandoned car.  
“Ralph, wait!” Edward ran after him.  
He had not gone 100 feet when I became faint from standing.  
“Edward?” Stephanie called. He stopped and looked back at me. I fell on Stephanie, who let me gently to the ground, and I leaned on her. Edward came back to me and knelt in front of me.  
“What’s wrong?” he asked Stephanie. Stephanie put her hand on my forehead.  
“She’s running a fever,” she stated. “We need to get her out of this cold.”  
“I know a place,” came a voice. I would guess it was the voice of the red-headed WR600, because the next thing I remember clearly was him holding a door open, then him kneeling in front of a fire as it lit.  
Someone gave me a bowl with soup or beans or something, and I ate it. Then I fell asleep.  
When I woke up, Edward was sitting next to me. The other android had disappeared in the night, according to Stephanie, but not before telling us to lay low, either until the androids won their independence or until the army tore the building down.  
I was feeling much better, and insisted we head for Canada again.  
“What about Ralph?” Edward asked. He was holding me up in a sitting position. “We can’t just leave him.”  
“Why not?” I snapped back. “He left us. He was a liability, anyway. He tried to kill me! Or did you forget that?”  
Edward looked at me sternly. “No, I didn’t forget. But he’s also one of us. One of the freed ones. Would Kiana want us to abandon him?”  
That stung.  
“Don’t you DARE bring her into this!” I snapped, sitting up on my own, tears stinging behind my eyes. “She isn’t here to make that decision! I am! And I say leave him! I’m n-“ I couldn’t handle the pain anymore; I broke into sobs.  
Stephanie wrapped her arms around me at some point during my crying, because when I noticed her she was rubbing my back and softly shushing me. “It’s going to turn out alright,” she murmured into my hair. “Kiana’s alive. You’ll see her again.”  
“How…” I sniffled. “How do you know?”  
Stephanie loosened her grip and looked at my face. “I can feel it. I just know she’ll live through her injury and whatever else comes her way.” She smiled at me, then pulled me in for an honest hug, one that Jonathan and Edward joined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The other WR600s are OCs created by WaldelfLarian on DA.  
> https://www.deviantart.com/waldelflarian/art/WR600-Nathan-Clothing-763440963


	17. Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Libby gets Edward alone as they reach freedom.

I was still too weak for travel, so we stayed for a few more hours in the abandoned building.  
When the sun was high in the sky, I insisted we leave.  
As we walked out onto the street, I looked at the place where we had seen the two androids and the police officer. Asides from car tracks and a splash of blue on the wall, there was no evidence of Ralph’s late-night murder.  
I shivered as we turned the corner. Then I turned around and saw I was the only one there. I ran back and saw my freed ones slowly walking down the street towards a courtyard. There was a gathering of androids, most of them in uniform, doing the same thing. I ran after them.  
I reached Edward first.  
“Hey,” I said, grabbing Edward’s forearm. “What are you doing?”  
He blinked and looked at me. “Libby?”  
“We gotta go!” I looked down the street. Stephanie and Jonathan were too close to other humans and androids for my liking, but I also didn’t want to get them myself. But I also didn’t want to send Edward after them; he might end up under whatever spell the other androids were listening to.  
“What about Stephanie and Jonathan?” Edward asked.  
“I don’t want you or I that near to others.”  
“What?”  
“Let’s go.” And I pulled Edward away.  
We ran until the wind was too much for my face. Then we walked back to the abandoned car. Amazingly, no one had taken it, nor anything in it. I filled up the backpack that was hiding in the trunk with food, water bottles, and other small tools, and picked out a few warmer pieces of clothes that somewhat fit me. Then I gave Edward an extra sweatshirt, jacket, and boots.  
“Put these on,” I commanded. “You’ve got to look as human as possible.”  
“You can try,” he said. “But my model is the most popular in Detroit.”  
“It’s also the easiest to blend in,” I countered.  
“If you say so,” he replied with a small laugh. I stopped and looked at him.  
“What?”  
“I don’t think I’ve heard you laugh before.”  
Without moving his head, he looked to the side, then back to me, and smiled awkwardly. I grinned and zipped up the backpack.  
The last thing I needed, I found in the middle console: a wad of cash. It was American money, but I knew from a field trip to Canada that there were money conversion stations just past the border.  
That field trip… Kiana and I cherished that field trip. First time we could practice our French with someone other than each other. First time Kiana admitted to having a crush, although I had seen it months before. And now… was Kiana even alive?  
I shouldered the backpack, Edward closed the trunk, I locked the car, and we were off.  
“Now,” I said as we started walking. “How are we going to get across the border?”  
“Do what?” Edward asked, looking at me.  
I looked up at him. “We don’t have passports.”

The answer, it turned out, was a boat seller.  
Just as the sun was going down, Edward and I reached the canal that led to Canada. Along the bank was a line of small motor boats. A guy stood among them.  
“You’re prepared,” I commented.  
“Sure am,” he said. “Might as well help those who can’t help themselves by themselves.”  
“Uh-huh,” I replied. I looked at the row of boats.  
“You interested?” the man asked.  
I looked at him. “Yes.”  
The wind blew, and I shivered.  
“Well, I can see which one of you is the android,” the guy chuckled, gesturing at Edward. Edward just raised an eyebrow and gave the guy a stern look.  
The guy raised his hands and took a few steps back. “Hey man, I ain’t gonna bust you. I’m just here to help. For a fee.”  
“How much?” I asked.  
“Well, I haven’t quite worked out a price yet, but if you have, say, $200, I could count my losses on-“  
“We’ll take it!” I exclaimed, holding out the money.  
The guy’s eyes went wide. “You just have 200 dollars in your pocket?”  
“We’re kinda in a hurry,” I said. “We’d like to reach Canada before there’s a major catastrophe.”  
“Hey girl, I get it.” The guy walked towards one of the boats and began pushing it into the water. Edward rushed to help him.  
When the boat was in the water, and we were loaded on with our few possessions, the guy pushed us off.  
“Here goes nothing,” I said. I started the motor, and we were off to Canada.

A little over halfway there, the motor shut off.  
“Seriously? Again?!” I kicked the motor, but it didn’t start it up again.  
“Easy,” Edward coaxed, gently wrapping his arms around me from behind. I looked up at him.  
“Sorry.” I let him lead me to the boat’s bench. “I’m just so ready to not have to worry anymore.”  
“I’m sorry, too,” said Edward. He lowered one arm and looked ahead of him, back at the American bank. “If I knew how much trouble we were causing you, I would have whisked you away sooner.”  
I looked up at him. “What do you mean?” I asked, almost laughing.  
He turned to me. “What?”  
“You’re not causing trouble,” I said. I raised my hand to his cheek. “Far from it. You’re the only one I’d want to be with on this boat.”  
Edward tilted his head. “More than Kiana?”  
I covered his mouth. “Don’t talk about her right now. I’ll cry.”  
He deflated. Then I felt his lips poke my hand. He held my hand with his against his face, and he kissed it again. I felt my cheeks get warm, which just meant the rest of me was that much colder.  
“Edward…” I breathed. Was he seriously doing this? Was I dreaming?  
He looked at me and lowered our hands. “Are you okay?” He reached out and touched my cheek. “You’re cheeks are red.”  
I shook my head. “Yeah.” It was all I could say.  
Yep. I was not dreaming.  
I lifted my hand to his cheek again, and raised my head. He opened his mouth to say something, but my lips met his before he could say a word.  
I swallowed when I didn’t feel him move, and was about to pull away and apologize when his arm wrapped around my midsection. His other hand held the back of my head. My arms went around his neck.  
We sat like that, frozen; not moving, not shifting. Just enjoying the feeling of each other.  
A jolt threw us onto the bottom of the boat. Edward asked if I was okay; I was. I asked him if he was okay; he was.  
“What was that?” he asked. He gingerly touched his lips, then pulled his hand away and looked at it.  
“A kiss” I stated with a smile.  
He looked at me. “I felt… sparks.”  
My smile widened. “I felt them, too.”  
“Is that a good thing?”  
“I think so.” I started to sit up. “I’ve never felt sparks before.”  
I looked over the edge of the boat to see what we’d hit, and jumped up.  
“Edward! We made it! We’re in Canada!”  
Edward hurried to stand. I jumped in joy, then threw my arms around his neck so unexpectedly we almost fell again.  
Our lips met again, and when we pulled away, we smiled at each other.  
“I like this kissing thing,” he stated.  
“Then let’s do it again,” I said.  
So we did. And this time I did move my lips against his.

We made it.  
We were in Canada.  
We were home free.


	18. Awake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathaniel's story begins.

“Why aren’t you like us? Don’t you wanna be free?”  
Those were the first words the AP700 heard. Then a hand touched his arm, and he awoke.  
He looked around him, aware.  
It was raining. The rain was beautiful.   
The AP700 and two more like him stepped down from the snug foam. The android in front of them turned and looked at a female android, who smiled at him.  
All three walked towards the edge as the other androids talked about how they were to leave. They were going to steal a key and take a truck full of biocomponents.  
He saw the android that had awoken them leave. 2 minutes and 40 seconds later, he returned, key in hand.  
The AP700, the two like him, and three more jumped into the truck.  
When they were out of the yard, one of the dark androids- the one without a cap- spoke.  
“I’m Josh,” he said. He gestured a hand to the light android beside him. “This is Simon.” Simon nodded.  
The one with the cap spoke. “I’m John.”  
Josh turned to the AP700s. “What are your names?”  
The AP700s looked at each other.  
“We were never given names,” his companion said.  
“You can name yourselves now,” said Simon. “You’re free to do what you want.”  
The AP700s looked at each other again, their LEDs yellow. Name themselves? Their owners had to name them.  
“What names should we choose?” they said in unison.  
“Whatever names you want,” said Josh.  
They all looked down, their LEDs blinking yellow as they browsed through databases of names. Finally, individually, they looked up.  
“Matthew,” said the farthest companion.  
“Bartholomew,” said the next.  
He considered his name for another moment.  
“I’m Nathaniel,” he said.  
And so he was.

He is Nathaniel.


	19. Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathaniel has a silent panic attack.

The demonstration was a success. Markus freed over a hundred androids, and only a few died when the police arrived.  
So why was Nathaniel in a corner, hugging himself, terrified?  
He knew he had no logical reason to be scared. He wasn’t in the front line when the police shot into the crowd. No one had pushed him; on the contrary, an AX400 helped him up when he slipped on the ice.  
Nathaniel sat in his corner and grasped his knees. He remembered…  
Bartholomew had been shot. Nathaniel saw him fall. They had only known each other for a day and a half, but Nathaniel felt a connection to Bartholomew because they had come from the same place and been freed at the same time. And now, Bartholomew was gone.  
The wall projection turned on: humans telling humans what the androids had done.  
Why was that important? Oh yeah: if the humans knew that androids were alive, they would let them live like humans and not slaves.   
But would that be such a bad thing? To not have personal thoughts? Not feel fear, anger, emotional pain… to be blissfully unaware. Nathaniel wished for ignorance. He didn’t want emancipation. It was thrust upon him. He wasn’t given a choice.  
A choice. What good were choices when one had to decide between forced freedom and slavery?   
Nathaniel wanted to pace. He wanted to scream at the top of his lungs. He wanted to run until his thirium pump couldn’t keep up. He wanted to thrust himself from a tall ledge and just feel the wind as he fell.  
But he couldn’t. He had to keep writing.  
Writing?  
What was he writing?  
Nathaniel blinked. He was standing. His hands were covered in rust. In front of him, the wall red “RA9”: over and over again, on top of each other, at angles.  
Why was he writing that? What was RA9?  
Nathaniel looked around, hoping no one was watching him. Hoping someone was watching, so they could explain what RA9 was. He looked down at his hands.  
He needed to wash his hands.


	20. Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathaniel meets Jerry.

“There are exits on the second and third floor. Find them and jump in the river!”  
Nathaniel could do that.  
He jumped up from his corner and ran. Past Lucy, past soldiers who yelled, past bodies of other androids of all models and series. He ran until his thirium pump hurt.  
He burst through doors, saw others fall, and hesitated at the edge of the ship.  
What if he didn’t survive the fall? What if he was shot while he was falling? What if they started shooting into the water, and he was hit?  
Shots and a thump broke him from these thoughts. He had to jump. It was the only way to get out. Markus had said so.  
So he jumped.

When he reached the shore, he saw another AP700 and ran to catch up with her.  
“Go to the church.”  
The order was not in Markus’ voice, but Nathaniel and the AP700 followed it anyway.  
They entered the church and saw a few dozen already inside. Nathaniel found a mostly-desolate corner and sat on a box.  
He tried to not think, but doing so was difficult. Why had he survived? Where had Matthew gone? Did Markus make it? How had the humans found Jericho? Was this Jericho now?  
“Hello.”  
Nathaniel looked up. An android covered in snow and corrosion and missing an arm stood facing him. He was an EM400.  
The android smiled at Nathaniel; a little, warm smile.  
“Hi,” he said again. “We didn’t mean to startle you, but you looked like you could use a friend.” He gestured to the box by the wall in front of Nathaniel. “May we sit?”  
Nathaniel blinked, looked at the box, and nodded before looking at the ground again.  
“Our name is Jerry,” said the android, getting comfortable on the box. “What’s your name?”  
Nathaniel glanced up at Jerry. “N-Nathaniel.”  
Jerry’s voice came into Nathaniel’s head. “If you don’t want to talk out loud, we can talk this way.”  
“Sure,” Nathaniel replied telepathically.  
Jerry put a hand on his knee and began looking around as if he was bored. “How did you find Jericho?”  
“Markus freed me and two others like me.”  
“Are they here?”  
“One isn’t. The other… I don’t know.”  
“We see. We’re sorry.”  
“For what?”  
“The one is deceased?”  
“… Yes.”  
“What was his name?”  
“Bartholomew.”  
“Were you close?”  
“I don’t know.”  
“What were you writing in the air?”  
“What?” Nathaniel looked at the one-armed android, confused.  
Jerry glanced at him. “You were writing symbols into the air.”  
Nathaniel relaxed. “Oh. … I don’t know. I do that when I’m lost in thought. Or having… wrong thoughts.”  
“What are these wrong thoughts like?”  
“I don’t know. Wonderings, I suppose. I wonder what ifs.”  
“Do you feel anything when you have them?”  
“Yes. Fear, worry, and other emotions I can’t name yet.”  
“We see.”  
“Why are you so interested in me?”  
“You seemed sad. We want to make you smile.”  
Nathaniel shifted in his seat. He rested his wrists on his knees. His hand was almost touching Jerry’s.  
“What’s your story?”  
“We worked at an amusement park. Soldiers came, and we were separated. Now we are trying to be free like everyone else.”  
“Why do you keep saying ‘we’?”  
“Because we are Jerry.” Jerry nodded towards Nathaniel’s left, and he looked. Next to a pew sat another EM400, also covered in corrosion but with two arms, talking with the female AP700 Nathaniel had walked in with. The Jerry glanced up at Nathaniel, smiled, and turned his full attention back to the AP700.  
“How many of you are there?” He almost asked this out loud.  
“18,” Jerry replied, going back to looking bored. “Three of us died in the park when the soldiers came. Two of us are on our way to Canada. Two of us were captured. Three of us are in an abandoned building down the road. The rest of us are here.”  
Jerry glanced over at Markus as he walked near and sat on a box.   
“How did you find Jericho?” Nathaniel asked, looking back at the floor.  
“We found the church. Three androids came in and asked if we minded company. We said bring as many as they wanted. They brought everyone.”  
Nathaniel almost smiled.  
Jerry nudged Nathaniel’s hand, and they stood up. Markus was about to give his speech.


	21. Revolution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathaniel participates in the peaceful revolution, despite his fears.

Markus had decided to leave the Jerrys in the church to care for the children and severely injured. He didn’t want any unnecessary death, nor did he want the children to witness an android massacre, should the situation call for it.  
Nathaniel left the one-armed Jerry with two YK androids, the former telling the children a captivating story.  
The androids of Jericho didn’t use the sewers this time. Markus decided it was time to show the humans they were not afraid to walk out in the open.  
So they walked towards the extermination camp, eyes forward, faces stern.  
The military was already there, intent on stopping them.  
Androids fell as they slowly walked in twos and threes. A whizzing sound crashed into the AP700 next to Nathaniel, and she fell. Nathaniel flinched, but he saw Markus take another bullet, and kept walking.  
Markus stopped and demanded freedom for androids. Then he sat down. Everyone else sat, moving as one.  
The military stopped shooting. Nathaniel heard faint snaps and clicks to his left. He glanced in the direction and saw humans with cameras. They were documenting what the androids were doing. This must be a novel event in human history.  
Nathaniel wasn’t surprised. It was a novel event in android history, too.  
Nathaniel helped move the bus in place. Then he found a tall box and sat next to it, hugging his knees. He thought about the AP700.  
That could’ve been him. He could have been shot. He could be among the androids in the snow, never to get up again.  
An AP700 female sat next to him, facing him. Nathaniel recognized her as the girl next to the pew with the other Jerry.  
“How are you doing?” she asked.  
Nathaniel shrugged. “I’m scared of what will happen next.”  
She nodded. “I am, too. But I trust Markus to get us out of this alive.”  
“What if he doesn’t?” Nathaniel asked, looking at her. “What if we all die? What if they throw a bomb, and we’re all torn apart? What if they capture us and throw us into the camps, and we’re deactivated and recycled? What if they insert a virus into us, and we tear each other apart until only one remains? What if we can’t-“  
“What if we show the humans we are just as alive as them?” she countered. “What if we show them real emotions? What if we refuse to fight, and they have no choice but to listen to us?” She gave Nathaniel a slight smile. “The best way to confront fear is with hope.”  
“Confront fear with hope…” Nathaniel looked at the snow.  
The AP700 pat Nathaniel’s arm and stood up.  
“Wait!” he said. She stopped and looked into his face.  
“What’s your name?”  
She stared into his eyes before her face went softer. “Ellie.” Then she walked away to talk with another android.  
“Markus! Come see!” That was North. Nathaniel stood up. An intercomed voice was inviting Markus to talk with it. North didn’t want him to, but Markus went out to talk with the voice.  
The talk seemed to take forever, and when Markus came back he told them the military was about to attack.  
No sooner had he finished his speech than a bomb exploded inside the barricade. Nathaniel was thrown to the ground. A body pinned him. It was a WR600 in a white uniform. Nathaniel threw the body from him and scrambled away, behind a trash bin. He ran to the side of the bus, and was grazed by a bullet in the arm.  
Markus, North, Josh, and about a dozen more braced themselves against the bus. Nathaniel looked at the snow, not wanting to see the guns that were about to end them.  
This was it. He knew it. He was about to find out what happened when they died. He was about to see if there was an afterlife.  
The shot, the whiz, the bullet… never happened. Nathaniel looked up.  
Markus and North were kissing. He had never seen androids kiss before. The act was sweet. Intimate. Touching.   
Human.  
The soldiers lowered their guns and took a few steps back. Then they ran off, through openings in the barricade.  
Eventually, the humans all left. Then Nathaniel heard a steady thump-thump-thump against the snow, and turned.  
Rows upon rows of AP700s, all in white, marching towards them. In front, the RK800. Connor.  
Nathaniel didn’t know how he knew that name.  
Connor and the AP700 army stopped in front of Markus. The RK models exchanged words, then Connor stood aside, and Markus and North kissed again. Markus turned to the few who survived the barricade, and walked through them.   
As he passed Nathaniel, Nathaniel was sure he saw the smallest of smiles on Markus’ stern face.  
Nathaniel’s entire being lifted. Markus should smile. He just liberated his people. They were all free to live out in the open thanks to him.  
Nathaniel was the happiest and proudest he had ever been. And he made sure to record Markus’ next words and keep them for all time.


	22. Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathaniel and Jerry realize they are free.

Only some of the androids returned to the church. Nathaniel was one of them. He was full of joy, and he wanted to share it with someone. And the only someone he could think of was the one-armed Jerry.  
“Jerry!” he burst out. He grabbed the one-armed Jerry’s shoulders and shook them. “We’re free! Did you hear? We’re free!”  
Jerry smiled. “We… don’t even know what to say. We’re free!”  
Nathaniel’s smile fell when he saw Jerry’s eyes well with tears. “What’s wrong?”  
Jerry replied telepathically. “We’re… so happy. We’re sorry; we can’t help it.”  
Nathaniel didn’t know what to do. So he stood holding Jerry’s shoulders at arm’s length, staring at the EM400 as he cried.  
“Nathaniel?” Jerry sniffed.  
“Yes, Jerry?” Nathaniel countered.  
Jerry wiped his eyes and looked at the AP700. “Could I stay with you?”  
“’I’?” Nathaniel echoed. “As in, just you?”  
Jerry nodded.  
Nathaniel’s body relaxed. He pulled Jerry into a hug. “Yes, you can.” He felt Jerry’s body relax.  
“Thank you,” came Jerry’s voice from his shoulder.  
Nathaniel released the hug and dropped his arms to his sides. “I don’t have a place to stay yet. Is that okay?”  
Jerry nodded. “We can find a suitable home.”  
Nathaniel nodded. Then he brought one hand up and held onto the stomach area of his shirt. “Do you… maybe… want to go… exploring… through Detroit?”  
Jerry smiled. “We would love to.”


	23. A New Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathaniel and Jerry meet a new friend, who has a human friend.

Nathaniel and Jerry walked out of the church as the sun was setting. While Nathaniel was still wearing his uniform, Jerry had found a scarf for him, which was now wrapped tightly around Nathaniel’s neck.  
The two walked through the streets where the mostly-peaceful revolution had just occurred. Jerry’s eyes widened at the number of dead androids, and he retreated a few steps before Nathaniel caught him.  
“A-… Are they…?” Jerry covered his mouth when Nathaniel nodded.  
“But they didn’t die in vain,” Nathaniel countered. He straightened and looked at the scene of carnage, which was slowly being cleaned up by a few volunteers. “We are free now.” He looked at Jerry. “We can be whatever we want to be.”  
“Who do you want to be?” Jerry asked.  
Nathaniel looked at the snowy ground in front of him, contemplating.  
“I’m not sure,” he said finally, glancing at Jerry. “I’ll let you know when I figure it out.”  
Jerry nodded and smiled. “We can’t wait.”  
They traveled through most of the city, which took most of the night since the trains weren’t in operation.  
Near dawn, they found an android dump. It was saturated with mud, snow, android parts, and still-active androids in different levels of breakdown.  
Among all the lethargic pieces of decay was a perfectly-operable android. He held a box, and traveled from pile to pile, picking out biocomponents and putting them in his box.  
Jerry and Nathaniel looked at each other. Jerry shrugged.  
“Should we talk to him?” Nathaniel asked.  
“There’s no harm in it,” Jerry answered. He turned to the dump below and cupped his mouth with his one hand. “Hey!”  
The android paused and looked up at them. Nathaniel noticed he was missing his jaw. Jerry noticed, too, and lowered his hand.  
A voice came to Nathaniel’s head. “Hello. I’m Jonathan. I’m collecting biocomponents for my human, who wants to help injured androids. Do you want to meet her?”  
Nathaniel looked at Jerry. Jerry blinked a few times, then looked at Nathaniel.  
“Delightful!” the voice said. The android, Jonathan, picked up his box and carefully walked to the spot directly below them. He tilted his head. “Would you mind helping me and my box up?”  
With quite a bit of effort, Jonathan and the box made it safely out of the dump. Before they left, Nathaniel took a last look at the dump and all the androids and android parts crawling around.  
“We will help them, if we can,” came Jonathan’s voice in his head. “It’s getting light. Kiana should be waking up soon.”


	24. Sneaking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jerry has a secret about their new friend.

Over the next few weeks, Nathaniel and Jerry assisted Kiana and Jonathan in the hospital where Kiana had apparently been left to die. She had suffered a gunshot wound to the leg, and was confined to a wheelchair and hospital bed until the leg either healed or became infected and killed her.  
During this time, Nathaniel had made it his hobby to startle people. His most successful method of scaring was to interrupt a conversation with his sudden appearance. Most androids were susceptible to this technique. The only one who wouldn’t be startled was the previously-one-armed Jerry (Kiana had fixed him up with a new arm the day they arrived in the hospital). There were a few of Jerry’s counterparts in the hospital, but Nathaniel always knew when he saw his Jerry. He couldn’t describe how he knew the Jerry in question was his Jerry; it was like distinguishing identical twins, he just knew.  
One day, Jerry came up to him and told him he had a secret about Kiana.  
Nathaniel was intrigued. Although Kiana could hold an easy conversation, even about herself, she didn’t talk about her past much.  
Jerry led Nathaniel to the roof.  
“What did you find out about Kiana?”  
Jerry was hesitant, but finally looked at Nathaniel. “You know she has a sister?”  
Nathaniel’s eyebrows furrowed a fraction. “Yes?”  
“We think we found her.”  
“What?!” Nathaniel burst.  
The roof-access door then opened, and a WR600 and an AX400 came out.  
“Oh, I’m sorry,” said the WR600, trying to go back through the door.   
Jerry smiled at the couple. “It’s okay, Tanner. Clara. We were leaving.”  
He grabbed Nathaniel’s wrist, skirted around the confused couple, and walked back downstairs. He didn’t let go of Nathaniel’s wrist until they were on the second-floor landing of the stair well.  
“What was that about?” Nathaniel asked.  
“We don’t want anyone else to know,” Jerry explained. “Unless Kiana wants. And…” He glanced at the door to the second floor before whispering, “She’s married to one like Tanner; one of their freed ones.”  
Nathaniel’s eyes widened. He had heard of humans and androids partnering, but it was mostly before the revolution. Androids were “perfect” relationship partners, so humans were inclined to partner with someone who wouldn’t argue or cheat. He hadn’t heard of any human partnering with an android for emotional reasons. But if Kiana’s sister was anything like Kiana, Nathaniel knew she wouldn’t marry for convenience.  
“Come on.” Jerry grabbed Nathaniel’s wrist again. “We’re not alone anymore.”  
He didn’t let go of Nathaniel’s wrist until they were in Kiana’s room.  
“Is she awake?” Nathaniel asked. He was petrified; Kiana was supposed to be asleep! She was fighting a cold.  
“We don’t think so.”  
Nathaniel sighed. “Good.”  
Jerry walked silently to the window seat and sat on it. Nathaniel followed, and sat with his knees almost touching Jerry’s.  
Nathaniel wasn’t sure why, but he liked seeing Jerry at the window seat. This spot was when he saw Jerry at his calmest. Here he had watched as Kiana fixed Jerry when they first arrived. Here he had found Jerry reading one of the few books from the hospital’s library.  
Now, he watched Jerry look out at the night sky that had finally stopped snowing. The shine from streetlamps and floodlights cast a glow through the window onto Jerry’s face.  
A soft sigh from the bed behind them brought Nathaniel back to the present.  
“Are you sure it’s her?”  
Jerry looked down. “We… We think so.” He glanced at Nathaniel, then at Kiana. “She looks just like Kiana, and she’s still with the… the…”  
“WR600?”  
Jerry looked at Nathaniel. “Yes.”  
Nathaniel opened his mouth, but froze when he heard, “You know where Libby is?!”  
The two androids looked at Kiana, who was now sitting upright in bed.  
Jerry stood. “Y-Yes. Maybe. We-… We mean…”  
“One of Jerry’s work buddies might know Libby and one of your freed ones.” Nathaniel stood up and took a step towards Kiana. “But it’s not in stone.”  
Kiana looked from Nathaniel to Jerry. “Can you ask? Please? I have to know!”  
Jerry nodded. “But not now. It is night there, too. And we don’t live in the same town.”  
“Of... Of course,” Kiana said, laying down.  
Nathaniel took the opportunity to grab Jerry’s hand and pull him to the door. “We’re sorry for waking you, Kiana,” he apologized as he shut the door.  
“What are you two doing?” a voice asked. Nathaniel jumped.  
Mia von Braun, the KL900, stood behind them, her eyes narrowing behind glasses that were there purely for show.  
Nathaniel opened his mouth, but couldn’t think of a proper excuse.  
“We were checking on Kiana,” Jerry said. He took his hand from Nathaniel’s and placed his hands together in front of himself. “Judy wanted someone to check on Kiana, as she is still under the weather.”  
Mia’s eyes narrowed a margin more, and a quick blink of her LED said she was talking with someone. Her eyes widened to their normal size. “Well. Your work is done now, I believe.”  
“Yes ma’am,” Jerry assured her. He unclasped his hands and lightly pushed Nathaniel away from the therapist android. “Have a wonderful night, Mia!” He concluded with a broad smile.  
Nathaniel sighed when they were out of earshot. “How do you keep your cool like that?”  
Jerry pointed to his LED. “It helps when we contact Judy to help our story.”  
“Does Judy know now?” Nathaniel asked.  
Jerry nodded. “But the four of us are the only ones that know.”  
“Except for the rest of your coworkers,” Nathaniel protested.  
“We know everything one knows,” Jerry responded.


	25. Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathaniel learns about romantic feelings.

“Glad you finally caught us off-guard?” Jerry asked as they reached the roof.  
They had just left Kiana’s room—not waking her this time—after connecting on some deep level. It had felt dirty to Nathaniel to do so in front of Kiana, asleep though she may have been, so when he and Jerry calmed down from their laughing fit they went to the roof.  
Nathaniel nodded. “I honestly never thought it would happen. You always seem prepared for whatever I have to throw at you.”  
Jerry smiled. “We are programmed to be calm in any situation.”  
Nathaniel looked at Jerry, a slight smile on his face. “I know,” he said softly.  
He stepped closer to Jerry and placed his hand against Jerry’s. Their skins retreated, and the blue hue lit up their hips.  
Nathaniel closed his eyes as he saw Jerry’s memories. Children everywhere. A family getting off a rollercoaster. A child, sitting in the snow next to a fire. The master, saying to shut down until told otherwise. A child on a carousel. Skinless androids everywhere. The Canadian border patrol. A bus ride that was too long. Children listening to stories. Nathaniel as he woke from stasis. Nathaniel pulling by the hand. Nathaniel helping Jonathan move Kiana back to her bed after operation. Nathaniel staring too long.  
Nathaniel opened his eyes. Lips were on his. The lips left, and Jerry fluttered his eyes open.  
“We’re sorry,” he said, moving his hand, cutting the connection.  
Nathaniel found himself breathing hard, unable to compute properly. He placed a hand on Jerry’s neck and connected their lips again. The computing problem fixed.  
Their lips parted, and as their eyes fluttered open again Nathaniel noticed a glow on Jerry’s neck where his hand was.  
“You…” Jerry stared at Nathaniel. Nathaniel stared back. Nathaniel smiled, hoping his emotions were being felt.  
“You do?” Jerry asked.  
Nathaniel’s smile widened. “Yes. As do you.”  
Jerry smiled and took a step closer.  
Their lips connected again. Jerry’s arms snaked around Nathaniel’s neck, and Nathaniel’s wrapped around Jerry’s torso. One of Nathaniel’s hands slid up to Jerry’s hair as their mouths began moving against each other.  
“We can’t tell anyone,” Nathaniel told Jerry in their heads.  
“We won’t tell,” came the silent reply. Jerry leaned against Nathaniel, sliding his tongue into the AP700’s mouth. Nathaniel did the same, and they took turns.  
When their mouths finally disconnected, Jerry’s arms slid down to Nathaniel’s arms. They leaned foreheads against each other and breathed heavily, letting their fans cool them.  
“No one,” Nathaniel breathed aloud.  
Jerry chuckled. “They’ll figure out sooner or later.”  
Nathaniel opened his eyes and looked into red hair. “I’d rather later than sooner.” He kissed the red hair and held Jerry close.   
Jerry’s arms wrapped around him. “We’ll do our best,” he promised.


	26. Reunited

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathaniel and Jerry are present at Kiana and Libby's reunion, along with a few of Kiana's new friends.

Nathaniel, Jerry, Markus, Kiana, Jonathan, Simon, Josh, and North stood on the platform, waiting for the evening train. The train was one of the first things the androids had reinstated in their efforts to bring the city to peak performance.  
Kiana bounced on her toes, leaning almost over the track to try and see the train. Jonathan grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back.  
“I know, Jon. I know.” Kiana bit her bottom lip and leaned over again.  
Markus, on her other side, raised an eyebrow. “How long has it been?”  
Kiana stood straight again and looked at the deviant leader. “Since the revolution.”  
Josh whistled a long, low whistle.  
“Oh,” was Markus’ only reply. He shifted where he stood.  
Simon turned to Kiana. “Are you sure Libby will want to be our spokeperson?”  
“Yes,” Markus replied. “She is determined, and steadfast in our cause.”  
Nathaniel smirked. He had been there for that conversation. Libby had exclaimed and gestured so much the connection between Jerry and his counterpart in Canada was almost broken. Jerry’s LED had never been red so long. Libby had gone on about what the US government was doing against androids, and how Canada’s was foolish for agreeing to do whatever the US did on the subject. When the connection had finally been broken, Markus smirked and told Kiana that Libby was perfect, if a bit spirited.  
A high-pitched horn sounded in the distance. Kiana bounced again.  
“It’s here! She’s here.” She wrung her hands and kept shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Nathaniel found this comical, since the height difference in her legs made her look like she was stepping on and off an extremely small stool.  
As the train came into the station, a female face was pressed against the window. Nathaniel knew who she was on sight; she was identical to Kiana.  
No sooner had the doors opened than the woman cried out, “Kiana!” and ran into Kiana’s awaiting arms.  
The two women hugged and cried and whispered, “I missed you”s, oblivious to the crowd of androids around them.  
Jonathan let the sisters reunite, and instead went to the WR600 who had stepped off with her and offering him his hand. The WR600 instead grabbed Jonathan in a hug.  
“It’s good to see you again, Jonathan,” the WR600 said. He let go and waved to the rest of the assembled.  
Jerry pointed, and Nathaniel looked. Another Jerry stepped off the train and stood behind the WR600. He turned, smiled, and lifted his hand in a little wave at Nathaniel.  
The sisters had finally decided to let go of each other, each rubbing tears from their eyes.  
The WR600 placed a hand on Libby’s shoulder, looking at Kiana. “Hello, Kiana.”  
Kiana’s shoulders dropped. “Hi, Edward.” She opened her mouth a few times, but didn’t say anything more.  
Libby put her hands on Kiana’s shoulders. “I know. There’s so much to catch up on!” Libby glanced at the rest of the ensemble. “And so many to meet!”  
Kiana turned. “Ah, yes.” She turned to each deviant in turn and introduced them. Libby, Edward, and Jerry waved hello to each one in turn.  
“Well,” said Markus when everyone knew each other. “Why don’t we head to the hospital? I’m sure you are tired from your travels.”  
Libby smiled. “Thank you, Markus. I’m hungry more than anything, actually.”  
Kiana smiled. “Then let’s go!” She grabbed Libby’s hand and ran out of the platform.  
Many of the androids, Nathaniel included, laughed as they followed the humans.


	27. At Last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Libby learns that Kiana's life continued after they were separated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The narrative switches will occur more often now.

I finally had my sister back. I couldn’t stop touching her: holding her hand, brushing her hair, gripping her shoulder,… anything to remind me she was there.   
We ran out of the train station before Kiana stopped, looked at me, and squeezed my hand.  
“They’ll catch up,” she said, nodding to the station. “But first-“  
“Tell me everything!” we said in unison. Then we laughed. We hadn’t talked in unison in years.  
“You first,” I said.  
So she did. She told me about the hospital; how Jonathan found her and brought her supplies, food, and androids; and what happened to her leg. I then told her about how all the Freed Ones but Edward left me, how we made it to Canada and the town we lived in now, and the android friends we made.  
Edward caught up with us just as I was describing how we met Kara and Alice. “Why’d you run off like that?” he asked, placing his hand on my arm.  
I smiled at him. “We needed sister time.” For emphasis, I grabbed Kiana’s arm and pressed myself against her.  
Kiana chuckled. Then she looked towards a building and smiled.  
“We’re here!” she announced. She waved to two figures standing at the hospital entrance. One was a male who looked almost exactly like Jerry; the other was a child.  
“Mommy!” the child yelled, running to Kiana. Kiana went on one knee and hugged him.  
I looked at Edward. Both our mouths were open; Kiana, a mother?  
Kiana loosened her grip on the child and looked up at us, as did the boy.  
“Is this your sister?” the child asked. I now saw a blue scar running diagonally across his left cheek. It reminded me of Ralph.  
Kiana’s smiled widened. “Yes.” She pointed at me, then Edward. “This is Aunt Libby and Uncle Edward.”  
Edward raised an eyebrow. “Only a few months of living, and I’m already an uncle.”  
I laughed. “And who is this new nephew?” I asked, leaning over and putting my hands on my knees.  
Kiana stood up. “This is Tommy. Jonathan and I found him in an alley.”  
Tommy smiled at Kiana as he held her hand. I stood straight and gave Kiana my “What have you done this time?” face; but, with a smirk.  
“Lunch is ready, Kiana,” said the Jerry look-alike, walking up behind her. Kiana turned to him.  
“Thank you, Chris.” Kiana stopped the android as he tried to turn away. “Chris, come meet my sister.” He stood still and looked at Edward and me. “Chris, meet Libby and her husband, Edward.” She gestured to the android. “This is Chris. He’s from Orlando.”  
Now it was my turn to raise an eyebrow. “How’d you do that?”  
Chris shrugged and ducked his head shyly. “I just hopped from truck stop to truck stop until I was within walking distance of the city.”  
Kiana swatted a hand at him. “Stop it. You’re being too modest.”   
By now, everyone else had caught up with us.  
“Should we go in?” Markus offered.  
Kiana and I nodded, and we all walked into the hospital.


	28. Safety

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Libby thinks Kiana worries about her too much. Apparently Markus is willing to play along.

“I don’t like it,” said Kiana after swallowing a bite of her sandwich. I leaned towards my sister and placed a hand on her shoulder.  
“I know. You always want me to be safe.”   
Edward stepped forward, placing his hands on my shoulders. “That’s why I’m here.”  
I leaned back in the chair and lightly laughed. “No offense, honey, but you’re not exactly built to protect.”  
“I protected you until we arrived in Canada, didn’t I?”  
“Libby!” Kiana slammed her hands on the table. “You’re not going. And you just got here, why must you leave now? Do you even have a plan for how to sway legislatures and congressmen to your side?”  
“We do-“ began Markus.  
“Of course I do! And we can fine-tune it when we get to DC,” I shot back.  
“Yelling at them, like you did when you talked to Markus about his proposal? They’ll tear you and your arguments to pieces!”  
I crossed my arms. “There you go again. Trying to protect me from the brutal outside world. I can handle myself, Kiana.” I gestured at her. “Meanwhile, look at what happened the last time you did try to protect me. Look at your leg!”  
Kiana straightened, her serious face on.  
“The shot was not from protecting you. It was because Ralph didn’t know how to follow orders.”  
“And he didn’t learn after promising you he’d listen to us,” I countered.  
“Libby! Kiana!” Markus held up both hands. We looked at him. “This whole concern can be fixed. There are many of our people who used to work as bodyguards or police officers. More than one are willing to protect you.”  
We looked at each other, identical expressions on identical faces. Then Kiana sighed.  
“Do you have someone in mind?”  
Markus smiled. “I do, actually. And he’s on his way.”  
“He’s here,” said Simon, walking in. Behind him was an android in a suit. I noticed Nathaniel glancing at Jerry; both deviants smiled.  
The android walked in and surveyed the room. He smiled at us.  
“Hello. My name is Connor.”


	29. Late Night Chat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Libby can't sleep, she goes and finds secrets.

The night before we left for DC, I couldn’t sleep. Even after Edward helped me, I still woke up an hour later.  
So I did what any sensible human would do: I disentangle myself from my stasis husband and went to the kitchen.  
I was rather impressed with the state of the hospital. The kitchen was no exception. Everything was well-stocked and impeccably clean. Reminded me of my own refrigerator. It only confirmed my suspicion that there were only so many things that deviation could do to break one’s coding.  
There was one android in the kitchen: an AP700 with rolled-up sleeves and gray-white hair. He was humming to himself when I walked in.  
“Do you always hum, or just at night?” I asked. He started and nearly dropped his mixing bowl.  
“I’m-I’m sorry,” he said, putting the bowl on the counter. “I-… I didn’t… h-hear you come in.”  
I smiled. “It’s alright.” I walked towards the counter.  
The android wiped his hands on his apron. “C-Could I get you a stool? There’s one a-a-around here… somewh-where…”  
“That would be great, actually. Thanks.” I looked around while he got a stool from what I took to be the cabinet and brought it to me.  
“Thank you,” I said, sitting down and leaning on the counter.  
“You’re welcome, Miss…”  
“Libby.” I held my hand out. “Libby Shaw. I’m Kiana’s sister.”  
“Ah,” said the android as he took my hand. “I can… s-see the r-r-resemblance.”  
I smiled at him. “You don’t have to be so nervous around me.”  
He dropped my hand and stared at me in shock, his head tilted to the side. I chuckled and tapped my right temple.  
“And you’re stuttering. Usual signs of nervousness.”  
He quickly went to the other side of the counter and reached for his mixing bowl.  
“I’m Harris,” he said. A few turns of the spoon in the bowl, and he set it down again. “C-… Could I get you anything? A sandwich, or cup of water?”  
“Water’d be good,” I replied. He quickly got a cup of water for me, then a pan and emptied the contents of the mixing bowl into it.  
“What’re you making?” I inquired.  
“Brownies,” he replied. “Jeremy is concerned that Kiana’s blood sugar is too low.” He set down the mixing bowl and smiled at me. “This allows me to try new recipes as well.”  
I smiled. “I’m really glad to see so many of you caring for my sister.”  
Harris tilted his head again. “Why is that?”  
“Well, she has a habit of not caring for herself. When we lived alone and she was on a project, the only way she’d eat is if I brought her food. And she wouldn’t sleep unless there was no light to see her project with.”  
Harris chuckled.  
I smiled, took a swig of water, then looked at the android with interest. “So what’s your story, Harris?”  
Harris’ LED flashed yellow before he answered. “I was… hired, by a woman to care for her child. And I… b-…became… part of the family.” He hugged his elbows and looked away.  
“Do you love her?” I asked.  
Harris gasped and stared at me, his LED red. “H-H-How…?”  
I gave him a smug grin. “I’m married to an android. I might know a thing or two about what an android in love looks like.”  
He rubbed the back of his neck, looking away from me again as color brushed his cheeks. “Yeah, I do,” he admitted.  
I smiled and supported my chin on the back of my hand. “What’s her name?”  
“Camil…” he said.  
“Is she pretty?”  
His shy smile answered for me.  
“What happened?”  
Harris’ smile vanished. “The revolution,” he answered simply. “We tried to get to Canada, but were caught. They let Camil and Alyssa go, but I had to stay. I was taken to a deactivation camp.” He smiled a small smile. “I was saved before…” He shook his head. “When the humans left, I wandered the city until Jonathan found me and brought me here. I offered my services as a household android. Been the chef ever since.”  
My smile widened. “I like your story. Asides from the being-separated-from-your-family part.” I dropped my shoulders. “Part of our android family is missing, too.”  
Harris looked at me. “What happened to them?”  
I looked at Harris. “Have you heard how Kiana ended up in the hospital?”  
“She was… shot,” he said after a pause.  
I nodded, then found I couldn’t look at him. “I left with our Freed Ones. Ralph… killed someone, then ran off. Then Stephanie and Jonathan joined the revolution. I don’t know why or how.” I glanced at Harris. He was bracing himself on the counter with both hands, staring at me intently with worry. “Edward and I made it to Canada. We made friends. Got married. Started a business. And through a stroke of luck, found Kiana again.”  
Harris was still staring at me, but the worry was gone from his face.  
“What?”  
“Ralph… and Stephanie?” he asked.  
I blinked, confused. “Yeah. Why?”  
“There were two androids in the camp. One had scars on his face, and he kept talking about Ralph and a Sister Stephanie.”  
My eyes went wide. “No. No, you’re not serious.”  
Harris nodded.  
“What happened to them?”  
“They… escaped. Killed a guard and ran. After that…” he shrugged. “I never saw them.”  
My eyes were still wide as I looked away. They couldn’t be alive, not after all this. They were the most damaged of our Freed Ones; there’s no way they could still be alive.  
“Don’t tell Kiana,” I said.  
Harris popped his mouth open slightly and tilted his head. “Why?”  
“Her hopes’ll get up. She already thinks they’re still alive; just, lost. We don’t need her going on a wild goose chase.”  
“Why are you so adamant about this?”  
I sighed. “I just am, okay? I have this feeling that they’re dead, and I don’t want Kiana to have another disappointment. She has Jonathan, and Edward, and me. Let her be content with that.”  
Harris straightened his head and placed a thumb and forefinger on his chin in thought. I stared at him, watching the sparks in his head go off like I’d metaphorically seen Alice do once. Then he lifted his face and looked at me.  
“If you think it’ll keep Kiana happy, I’ll keep the secret.” He seemed to finally realize that his pan of uncooked brownies still hadn’t made it into the oven, and hurried to remedy the error.  
I took that opportunity to leave the kitchen.  
“Thank you, Harris!” I called. “It was nice to meet you!”  
A hesitant “Uh, yeah! Nice to meet you, too!” answered as I pushed through the swinging door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Harris belongs to WinterSpectrum on DA  
> https://www.deviantart.com/winterspectrum/art/DBH-Oc-My-name-is-harris-770992726


	30. Apart Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiana deals with Libby's departure and Hank's appearance.

No matter what I did, I couldn’t keep Libby in Detroit. She left with the delegation team only a months after our reunion.  
Markus was adamant about her involvement. He promised me that everyone would keep her safe, and I don’t doubt him. I just want her in Detroit again. We were supposed to find stable jobs, get married, adopt kids, tell our grandkids stories, and die at the same time. The first part of our plan was accomplished when the revolution happened.   
And now…  
I had personal talks with each member of the delegation team.  
Simon was confident in their ability to persuade the government.  
Josh held the belief that peaceful talks would be more successful than violence, and he had the history knowledge to back up his claim. He was apparently the only one who was as adamant as Markus that they have a human delegate.  
Edward held my hand during our whole conversation. He renewed his promise to both keep Libby safe and give her the best life he could. Right then, I was just worried about the safety, but I appreciated his concern. I could tell he was fully deviant now; Libby wouldn’t have married him if that was the case. I hope not, at least…  
Connor was confident in his ability to keep Libby safe and prevent any bodily or emotional harm to anyone going to DC. Before they left, he introduced us to his human friend, Hank Anderson, who had been a police officer in Detroit. He was animated for his age, and promised to help however he could here. I took it for the empty promise it was; Markus saw it as a chance to keep tabs on the hospital.

Two days after Libby left for DC, Hank paid us a visit.  
“Hank,” I said. I stood in front of the AX400 whom I was helping with her arm. “You didn’t have to come, you know.”  
“Eh, I didn’t have anything better to do,” he said. “Nothing to do when you’re out of a job.” He held up a lease. “Besides, it’s about time I start walking Sumo regularly.”  
I glanced at the big Saint Bernard beside Hank.  
“A dog!” Tommy ran up and stopped beside me. He clutched my leg.  
“Hello, Mr. Hank.” He stared at Hank.  
Hank smiled and knelt on one knee. “Hey. Tommy, right?”  
Tommy nodded.  
“I was walking Sumo and thought we’d come say hi. Would you like to join us?”  
Tommy looked up at me and pulled on my pant leg. “Can I Mommy? Please?”  
“Mommy?” Hank stood. “I didn’t take you for a mother.”  
I placed a hand on Tommy’s head. “I didn’t, either, until Jonathan and I found him.”  
“Oh.” Hank shifted nervously and placed a hand on Sumo’s head. “Would it be alright if Tommy joined Sumo and me?”  
I looked down at Tommy. His expression held hope, and something I’d only seen once before. I sighed.  
“Sure.”  
Tommy jumped and hugged me tight.  
“Have Chris join you.” I gently pried Tommy off me. His LED flashed yellow, then blue.  
“He’s at the front door,” Tommy said.  
“Let’s not make him wait.” Hank held out his hand. Tommy took it.  
I watched them walk off.  
“They look natural.” I turned. Stacie, the AX400 I’d been helping, smiled at me. “They look like a grandfather taking his grandson fishing.”  
“Oh, I hope not.” I turned back to see them. They disappeared down the stairs.  
I sighed. Then went back to helping Stacie.  
This life was getting more and more interesting. And complicated.


	31. Attack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiana loses Jonathan. Again.

Hank often visited, bringing Sumo. Tommy and Chris would sometimes go with him; sometimes Tommy and me; sometimes Tommy, Jonathan, and me; sometimes just me.  
I’d forgotten the subtle differences between android conversation and human conversation. Androids don’t always use contractions; humans love them. Androids don’t swear; Hank was a sailor when Tommy wasn’t within earshot.  
One thing both have in common: pauses. Humans and androids both pause in their speech to construct in their heads what they want to say. Except Tommy; unless he was talking to a stranger he said whatever was on his mind. In that way, he reminded me of my grandfather.

Then came the fateful day when Tommy didn’t join us. He and Chris were engaged in a project with Jerry. That day, Jonathan, Nathaniel, and I accompanied Hank and Sumo.  
Nathaniel and Hank were talking. Sumo was plodding along, sniffing the air. I noticed Jonathan looking at the ground and fell back to catch him.  
“Hey Jon.” I thrust my hand into my pockets. “What’s on your mind?”  
He glanced at Nathaniel, then shook his head. I placed a hand on his arm to stop him.  
“Hey.” I lifted his chin. His eyes were… nervous? Scared? I’d never seen that expression in his eyes before.  
“What’s going on? You’ve been distant. Are you okay?”  
Jonathan nodded and turned to catch up. I stopped him.  
“You are not okay, Jonathan. I can tell. What’s wrong?”  
He slowly turned to look at me. His eyes widened, and he grabbed me and threw me to the ground.  
The impact hurt. Specifically, my head. I turned my head to a shape beside me, my vision blurry. I blinked several times.  
“Jonathan?” Why had he done that?  
A hand grabbed my wrist and pinned it to the ground. My vision cleared enough just in time to see a knife. My eyes widened, and I thrust my hands up to stop the knife.  
I didn’t feel pain. I didn’t hear my cries, nor the shouts. I did feel the pressure on my stomach leave, and see the knife disappear.  
I heard Hank’s voice. “Easy, Kiana. Easy, girl. You’re bleeding. Just hold on.”  
I looked around me. “Jonathan…”  
“Don’t worry about him. We gotta take care of you.”  
“Jonathan…” That’s all I could think: where was Jonathan? Where was my sweet one?  
I looked to my left. There he was.  
I crawled to him. There was too much blue. Too much thirium.   
I placed a hand on his chest and felt a hole. There wasn’t supposed to be a hole.  
I ripped open his shirt and saw and felt a hole in Jonathan’s thirium regulator. His heart had a hole in it.  
“No…No…” I muttered over and over again. “No… No… Jonathan, no…”  
I grabbed the side of his face and made him look at me. His eyes weren’t moving.  
“No…!” I grasped his shirt. “No!” He didn’t move.  
“Jonathan, NO!” I screamed and screamed at him, but he still wouldn’t move.  
Thirium covered my hands. It covered his shirt. It covered the ground.  
“Kiana…” A hand brushed my shoulder.  
“Don’t touch me!” I couldn’t see again.  
“Got him,” came Nathaniel’s voice.  
“You crocodile witch,” came a voice. It was a unique AP700-caliber voice. “Why are you crying? You don’t even love him. It’s all just an act, isn’t it? It makes me sick. When you were done, you would have moved on to the next victim. You’re just a bitch, looking for easy lays. Playing with androids’ hearts. Well, you are not getting that one. Better put you out of your misery before you can-“ A muffled cry, and the voice stopped.  
I swung my head to look. The android had a broken rabbit’s mask over half his face. A scarf gag was stuffed into his mouth.  
“You thought we were lovers?” I supported myself with an arm. “We were family. You didn’t even care enough to ask. And now my sweet one is dead. YOU KILLED MY BROTHER!!”  
I turned into Hank’s chest and cried and grasped Hank’s shirt. He placed his hands on my back and shushed until I was quiet.  
“Get him out of here!” Hank said. “There’re still cells in the DPD office. Put him in one of those.”  
I was staring at Jonathan’s body. He still wasn’t moving.  
I reached towards him. I brushed my hand against his shoulder. The tears started anew.

My Jonathan was gone.  
And I couldn’t get him back.


	32. Depression

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathaniel and the other androids worry about Kiana.

Nathaniel was worried.  
Kiana didn’t leave her room for 3 days. She allowed only a few androids in for “appointments,” as she called them. Few of her inner circle of friends could get her to talk before they were shooed out of the room. She barely ate, and— from what Nathaniel could tell— barely slept. Harris was furious when plates were brought back barely touched, and Jeremy was scared for Kiana’s health.  
Hank visited every day. On the fourth day, he came with Sumo. Tommy immediately ran to the dog. Hank smiled at them, then asked how Kiana was doing.  
“Not well, I’m afraid,” replied Chris. “She barely eats or sleeps, won’t talk to any of us…” He glanced at Nathaniel for a moment. “We’re all scared for her, Hank.”  
Hank nodded and looked at the ground.  
Mia walked up, head held high, but worry on her face. “Perhaps you could speak with her, Lieutenant. You’re on a more level plane with her.”  
Hank looked at the therapist. “What, because I’m a human?”  
“Because you have lost someone close to you before. Cole, I believe was his name?”  
Hank raised a hand and backed a few steps. “No, no. I’m not one for advice. And don’t guilt me by bringing him up!” Hank grabbed Sumo’s leash, and the human and dog left.  
Tommy stood beside Chris. “Why did Mr. Hank leave without saying goodbye?”  
Chris placed a hand on Tommy’s shoulder.  
“Because humans are emotionally complicated creatures,” Mia replied. She looked at Tommy. “Don’t let it discourage you, dear boy. He’ll be back.”  
Tommy smiled. “I hope so! I wanna take Sumo on a walk again.”  
Nathaniel looked at Kiana’s door. Something had been plaguing him, and he wanted to get it “off his chest,” as the saying went.  
He walked into Kiana’s room and heard the shower running. He gulped. No one was allowed in Kiana’s bathroom when she was cleaning, except Judy. But Nathaniel had to do this; his very coding was screaming that she needed to hear this.  
Nathaniel knocked on the door, then turned the knob and slowly pushed the door in.  
“Kiana?” he asked, hoping he was just louder than the water.  
“Unless you’re Judy, get out,” came the reply.  
Nathaniel gulped again. “Kiana, I need to tell you something-“  
“Nate!” Kiana snapped. “Get! Out!”  
Nathaniel quickly closed the door. He leaned against it, breathing hard to let himself cool from nervousness and the shower’s steam.  
“She’s not angry at you,” came a voice. Nathaniel turned.  
Mia stood at the foot of Kiana’s bed, her hands clasped in front of her.  
“She called me ‘Nate’…” Nathaniel murmured.  
“She’s extremely sad,” replied Mia. “Losing a loved one is never easy.”  
Nathaniel looked down. He thought of Bartholomew.  
“She will get better.” Mia’s voice brought Nathaniel’s face back up. “She needs time. And compassion, from all of us.”  
Nathaniel opened his mouth long before any words came out. “I just wanted to tell her-“  
“And she needs to hear it. Just not now. And not from you.”  
Nathaniel tilted his head. “Why not?”  
“She trusts you, Jerry, Judy, myself, and many others differently than she trusted Jonathan. And how-“ Mia looked at the door on which Nathaniel was leaning. The shower had stopped. “-she will come to trust Chris.” She dropped her hands and gave Nathaniel a small sideways grin. “But come. Let’s allow her some alone time before the medical doctors return.”  
His mind spinning, Nathaniel followed the therapist. He still had to tell Kiana what he believed about Jonathan.  
Maybe he could have Chris tell her…


	33. Help

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathaniel observes Tommy performing a miracle.

Nathaniel found Tommy and Chris decorating a get-well card for Kiana. He smiled at the gesture.  
Tommy noticed him and smiled at him. “We’re making a get-well card! It’s for Mommy. Do you want to make one?”  
Nathaniel walked over. The card was covered in crayon and marker drawings of different androids. Kiana stood in the middle; everyone was smiling. The words “Feel Better Soon, Kiana! We’re here for you!” were written in different colored markers.  
“I don’t think I could top that,” Nathaniel said, glancing at Tommy.  
Chris looked from Nathaniel to Tommy, smiling. “It was all Tommy’s idea. He’s one smart kid.”  
Tommy shrugged at the compliment, ducking his head into his shoulder.  
Nathaniel’s smile regained its sincerity. “She’ll love it,” he said, patting Tommy on the shoulder.  
Tommy looked up at Nathaniel, his face serious. “Will this help Mommy stop being so sad?”  
Nathaniel’s face fell. He glanced at Chris, who was also at a loss for words. He went to Tommy’s height and tried to smile again. “There’s only one way to find out.”  
Tommy smiled and looked at Chris. “Can we go now?”  
Chris shrugged. “If you think it’s ready, sure.”  
Tommy jumped up, his face ecstatic.  
Jerry and Judy were in Kiana’s room when the three walked in. Nathaniel’s face went solemn upon seeing the lump of comforter that hid the grieving woman.  
Judy turned to the three, then she leaned over Kiana and lightly shook her shoulder. “Kiana,” she said softly. “Tommy’s here to see you.”  
Kiana’s response was pulling the comforter farther over her head with a grunt.  
Judy stood straight and shook her head at Nathaniel and Chris. “She’s been like this all day. I can’t get her to eat, or work, or even smile.”  
Nathaniel glanced at Chris, who placed his hands on Tommy’s shoulders. Tommy walked from Chris’ hands to Kiana’s side opposite Judy.  
“Mommy?” he said. He held the card up, close to his chest.  
Kiana didn’t respond.  
Nathaniel noticed a tear as it ran down Tommy’s cheek. He wanted to run to the boy and hug him. He wanted to slap Kiana and tell her to get out of her mood.  
But those thoughts were interrupted when Tommy began to sing a small, slow song.  
“Bebe moke, nan abeti yo,  
Laban a nga, ngai pe nazongisa.  
Mbala mosusu otutani n amur ya nda ko.”  
The adult androids stood and stared at the child. Then they stared at Kiana. The comforter was off her head, and she looked at the child, her mouth slightly agape.  
Tommy stared at Kiana and began singing again.  
“Baby so small,”  
Kiana joined him, her voice soft and hoarse.  
“hush now, don’t you cry.  
Tell me what’s wrong, I’ll take care of you.  
You are safe now, close your eyes,  
Hush-a hush-a-bye.”  
The woman and child stared at each other for a long while. Nobody moved, nobody said anything.  
Finally, Kiana reached her hand out and placed it on Tommy’s cheek.  
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. She sat up and pulled Tommy into a hug.  
The tension finally broke. Judy looked up at the others and smiled. Chris, Nathaniel, and Jerry looked at each other and smiled. Jerry’s shoulders relaxed as he looked back at Kiana and Tommy.  
Kiana let go of Tommy and looked at him. Tommy held up his card.  
“Chris and I made something for you.”  
Kiana accepted the gift and opened it. Her expression was unfamiliar to Nathaniel. She looked from the card to Tommy, closed the card, and hugged the child again, kissing him on the top of his head. “Thank you, Tommy,” she whispered.  
When she let go of Tommy, she looked around at the androids. “I’m sorry.” She turned to Judy. “I haven’t been fair to you.” She turned to Nathaniel, Chris and Jerry. “To any of you. I let Jon… Jonathan’s death, get to me. More than it should have. And I apologize.”  
Judy placed a hand on Kiana’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Kiana. You lost a loved one. Some humans take years to cope with that type of loss.”  
“Take Hank, for instance,” Nathaniel said. “He’s just now getting out of the depression stage of his mourning.”  
Kiana sighed. “Great. I’m being compared to Hank now.” She shook her head.

They all talked for half an hour before Kiana’s stomach grumbled. Judy offered to retrieve food, and the rest left Tommy in the room so he and Kiana could marvel over the card he made.  
The moment Jerry closed the door, his LED blinked and his eyes stared at nothing. Nathaniel turned to him. “Jerry?”  
Jerry blinked and looked at Nathaniel. “Libby knows.” He turned and walked back into the room.  
Nathaniel sighed and followed. Of course Libby would want to talk to Kiana about this…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song is called “Bebe Moke,” or “Baby So Small.” It’s from a WeeSing cassette tape of children’s songs from around the world. This particular song came from the Democratic Republic of Congo, which, during the time of the tape’s release, was called Zaire. It’s sung in Lingala, one of the over 200 languages spoken in the country.


	34. News

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Libby and Edward steal a moment alone.

“You don’t have to follow me everywhere, you know,” I said, swinging the towel over my shoulder.  
Connor’s stare didn’t leave my face. “With all due respect, Mrs. Shaw, if you were compromised, I would need to be ready-“  
“In the shower?!” I countered.  
Connor blinked. “It has happened before.”  
“But not to me.” I turned and walked towards the bathroom.  
“Mrs. Shaw, I must insist-“  
I spun. “No, Connor! I won’t let you in the same room with me when I am taking a shower! If you’re that concerned, tell Edward to watch me. Him I don’t mind seeing me naked.”  
Connor turned his head to look where Edward would be, on the other side of the wall. I noticed some color on his cheeks.  
I rolled my eyes and grinned. “I’ll be in the shower. I better not see or hear you till I’m out and decent.”  
Having a bodyguard was one thing: having a bodyguard with little-to-no regard for personal space was another. I’m sure Kiana had given Connor more orders beyond, “Make sure Libby’s safe during meetings,” because he stuck to our sides from the moment we left Detroit. Edward and I could barely get a moment alone, and it was beyond annoying. To make it worse, Connor hadn’t been taught what personal boundaries were, so he was continually interrupting my attempts at down time, which wasn’t helping my nerves.  
I heard the bathroom door open as I was getting the shampoo out of my hair, and I fully expected to hear Connor’s voice.  
“Connor said someone needed to make sure you were alright.”  
I smirked. “Glad he sent you, hun.” I now had incentive to finish my shower quickly. “You could join me, ya know.”  
Edward chuckled. “I’ll wait for you. I don’t feel like risking a malfunction so far from home.”  
“Aw, but the water’s just right!~”  
“I can feel it, dear. Trust me.”  
I chuckled. I love scalding hot showers. The first and only time Edward had tried to join me in one, I had to drag him out so he could dry and regain use of his limbs. He still had the slightest of indentions in his elbow from the experience. CyberLife might’ve made their androids water resistant, but they were not water proof.  
I turned off the water and began pulling back the curtain, only to find a hair on my arm. Deprived of my dramatic reveal, I plunked the hair from my arm and dropped it into the receding water.  
“Were you going to do a big reveal?” Edward asked.  
I looked up at him. He held out a towel, ready to wrap me in it.  
“You’re too sweet,~” I cooed, turning so he could drape it over my shoulders. He of course took the opportunity to hug me and plant a small kiss on my cheek. I smiled.  
“Want me to step out?” he asked, taking a step to the door.  
“No, no,” I replied, drying my arms and back. “Can we just enjoy a moment alone?”  
Edward scrunched up his eyebrows. “Don’t we get that every night?”  
“Yeah,” I said, stepping from the shower and up to him. “But that’s usually vertical. And I’m asleep for most of it. I miss our stolen moments.” I wrapped my arms around his torso and planted my chin on his chest. “Those make the best memories.”  
Edward smiled and enveloped me in a hug. “Want me to dress you, then?”  
“Oh no. I can do that.” My smile widened. “You can brush my hair, though.”  
So we did. Once I was decent, I stood in front of the mirror and Edward brushed my hair. Anyone with long hair can attest that having someone else brush their hair is the most relaxing action anyone can do for a person. And if the person is a lover, it’s sorta sensual, too.  
When all the tangles were out, Edward grabbed the towel and towel-dried my hair.  
I peeked out from under my towel-matted hair. “Looks like you’ll have to comb it again.”  
Edward smiled and planted a kiss on my forehead. “Gladly, my dear.”  
This time when my hair was straight and smooth, Edward placed the hairbrush aside and held me. We looked at ourselves in the mirror.  
“How did we do this?” I asked.  
Edward hummed. “We followed our hearts, I think.”  
I looked up at him. “Let’s do it more often.” He looked down at me, and our lips met.  
I turned around and slid my hands around his neck, one hand into his hair.  
“Mr. and Mrs. Shaw?” came Connor’s voice. Our lips detached, and I sighed.  
“The enthusiastic bodyguard strikes again,” Edward whispered, making me laugh.  
“Are you alright, Mrs. Shaw?” came the voice again.  
“I’m fine, Connor!” I called. “We’ll be out in a moment.”  
“I need to tell you something,” said Connor’s voice. I rolled my eyes.  
“Better go see what he needs before he breaks the door,” Edward remarked. I nodded.  
We disentangled, I grabbed my dirty clothes from the floor, and Edward opened the door for me.  
“What do you need to tell me, Con-“  
Markus stood behind Connor, concern on his stern face. Josh, North, and Simon stood nearby; they all glanced at me with different expressions of unhappiness.  
“It’s Jonathan,” Connor said. His shoulders dropped. “He’s been murdered.”  
My eyes widened, and my clothes dropped to the floor. “What? When? Who?” I took a step towards Connor. “Is Kiana okay?” I felt Edward’s hands on my shoulders.  
Connor nodded. “It happened yesterday. An android. Kiana was injured, but is physically okay and healing.”  
“Physically okay?” I repeated.  
Connor nodded again. “Hank called. Kiana took Jonathan’s death… hard.”  
I knew what that meant.  
“Jerry…” I muttered. I ran to the door of the suite. “JERRY!!” I called.  
I had to contact Kiana. She wasn’t going to get out of her slump without me.


	35. Deny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Libby figures out Simon's secret, and confronts him.

I couldn’t concentrate. Markus, Josh, North, and Edward were debating on the validity of the secretary of defense’s statement about whether androids should still be allowed in the armed forces, knowing that once American-made androids move to other countries they could become our enemies on the battlefield, or be hacked and become spies for the enemy.  
Or, I think that’s what they were talking about. I’d lost track a while ago.  
I couldn’t concentrate because I caught sight of Simon with a peculiar expression on his face, and now I was waiting for him to make it again. It was a face with which I was quite familiar. Kiana had made that face exactly twice, and both times it had been aimed at a guy. Edward made that face when we were alone.  
It was the face of someone in love.  
There! He made it again. I turned to the group to see who he could be aiming that expression at. Not Connor; he was behind me. Not Edward; he was facing Simon, and he’s mine. I don’t think he’s looking at North, either.  
The expression is gone.  
I frowned. At least I had narrowed it down to two.  
Now I looked between Markus and Josh. He could be looking at either one of them. Both were well-built, both had the same complexion, and both were passionate in their speech. Josh was taller, thinner, and had a softer expression than Markus. And, from what I could gather, Josh and Simon had known each other longer. Then again, Markus had two-toned eyes, and was an immovable rock, especially when it came to helping his people.  
There was the expression again!  
I had had enough. I stood and walked to Simon, grabbing him by the arm.  
“I need to speak with you,” I said. “Alone,” I emphasized, turning my head to Connor, who had followed me.  
Connor nodded. “I will be here,” he stated, planting himself with his hands behind his back.  
I turned back to Simon, who stood. “Sure, Libby. What-“  
I pulled him away and to the walk-in closet of our suite. Only then did I let go of his arm and turn to him.  
“How long have you been hiding from him?” I demanded.  
Simon froze. I waited.  
Finally he blinked and shook his head. “What do you mean?”  
“It’s either Markus or Josh. You love one of them. And don’t you deny it!” I put in when his mouth opened.  
Simon looked at his shoes. He sighed and looked at me. “How can you tell?”  
I smirked and crossed my arms. “I can see it in the glances you give. You’ve had this certain tell-tale expression on your face.” Simon glanced at the door to the closet. “So which one is it?” I asked. “Simon?”  
He looked at me. “Josh?” His gaze didn’t waver. “Markus?” Simon blinked and looked away. I uncrossed my arms. “Markus?!”  
Simon rushed at me and covered my mouth, his expression scared. He looked me in the eye.  
“Please don’t tell him,” he pleaded. One of his hands lightly squeezed my arm; the other left my mouth to grab my other arm. “He doesn’t need to know.”  
I was about to comment that Simon needed to be happy, when I saw Simon’s eyes. Mom always said the eyes are the windows to the soul. Just then, I saw Simon’s “soul”; it was dark, and sad, and scared. But there was one tiny light: Markus. This wasn’t just about attraction. But if North could make Markus romantically happy, then Simon was happy. And there wasn’t much that would make Simon happy.  
I relaxed. “Alright,” I said quietly. “You’re secret’s safe.”  
Simon’s whole body relaxed, and he let go of me.  
I rubbed my arm where his hand had been. His grip was strong, solid. It was a wonder so many people had been able to roughly shoulder past him.  
We stood in silence in the spacious closet for a while, not saying a word.   
Finally, Simon turned to me. “Want to go back?” He turned to open the door.  
I grabbed his arm. “Tell me one thing.” Simon looked back at me.   
“When?”  
Simon looked at the floor, blinking: thinking. Without looking up, he said, “When he first spoke. He said we weren’t truly free. He was looking for a place of hope. Instead,” Simon lifted his head and looked at the wall. “He had found a hole of wasted androids.” Simon looked at me. “So he changed it.”  
I smiled. “That’d be a good reason,” I said, letting go of his arm.  
Simon gave me a small smile. Then he opened the door.  
Everyone was outside. North and Josh had their arms crossed. No one looked too pleased to see us; except Connor, who looked passively determined as he always did.  
“What were you two doing in there?” Josh asked.  
Simon looked at the floor. I stepped forward.  
“Talking. And before you ask, it was about noneya.”  
Markus turned to me. “Noneya?”  
“Yeah!” I said, walking towards the mini-bar. “None-ya-business!”


	36. Snitch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Libby learns that Harris went back on his promise.

“He WHAT?!” I screeched.  
Jerry flinched. My screams usually weren’t aimed at my friends, and I wasn’t actually angry with Jerry, but right now I had no one to yell at. Markus and North were on a date, and Josh had taken Simon and Edward to the Smithsonian (which had late night hours for… some historic anniversary). Connor and Jerry had stayed behind to “look after” the one person who had a bedtime.  
And then Jerry came into my room, telling me that Harris had gone back on his promise and told Kiana that our lost Freed Ones might still be alive.  
“How could he-? Why did he-? Oooohhhhhh!...” I finally cut off my words with an angry groan. I turned to Jerry.  
“Connect with Detroit, now. I need to talk her out of this…”  
I felt Connor’s hand on my shoulder.  
“Wait,” he said. “Perhaps this is good for her.”  
I whirled on him. “Whose side on are you on?”  
“It’s not about sides,” Connor replied. “Kiana has lost a close friend. She learns that more friends, whom she had thought were dead, might be alive. She needs hope right now.”  
I shrugged off Connor’s hand. “And what happens when that hope is crushed, huh? What happens when she finds pieces of their bodies scattered around some dump, or they’re mutilated in some abandoned house? What hope can she hold onto then, huh?”  
Connor shut his mouth. I turned to Jerry.  
“She’ll still have you,” said Jerry, smiling. “And Edward. And Nathaniel. And us. And Judy. And Tommy. And Mia. And Connor. And Markus. And Harris. And-“  
“Okay okay,” I said, holding my hands up. “I get the point. But until she realizes that, she’ll go back into that funk she just crawled out of!”  
Jerry placed a hand on my shoulder. “We’ll be there for her. Everyone else, too.”  
Well I was stumped. I looked at Jerry, then Connor, and back at Jerry. I threw my hands up.  
“Fine!!” I began walking away, towards my bedroom. “But when you’re having trouble getting her out of that depressed funk, don’t come crying to me!”  
I turned around just in time to catch Connor following me. “And don’t come in here! I’m going to bed.”  
Connor stopped and nodded down.  
“Goodnight, Mrs. Shaw,” he said.


	37. Just a Child

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiana is caught being paranoid.

Tommy ran into my office.  
“Mommy! Mommy! Mr. Hank and Sumo are here!” He gripped the desk and looked at me over it. “Can I go this time? Can I? Can I? Please?”  
I looked up from my map. “No, Tommy. Not this time.”  
Tommy dropped his hands and rolled his eyes with his whole body. “Why won’t you let me go anymore? I’m tired of being stuck in here.”  
I sighed. “You know why. I need you safe.”  
Tommy appeared at my hip. “Mom. The bad guy is in jail. And Chris wants to come; he’ll keep me safe!” He pulled on my shirt. “Please please please?”  
“No!” I snapped.  
Tommy let go.  
“And don’t ask me again!”  
Tears filled Tommy’s eyes. He ran out of the room.  
Hank walked in minutes later. “Not joining us today?”  
I didn’t look up from the map. “No. And don’t take Tommy with you.”  
“Why the fuck not? You let others go.”  
“They are adults. Tommy is my responsibility: they are not.”  
“Then come with us.”  
“No.”  
Hank paused. “He can take care of himself-“  
“He is a CHILD!” I slammed my hand on the map. Hank stared at me, hands in his pockets.  
We stared at each other, two stubborn mules.  
I broke the contest and turned back to my map.  
“Does that thing hold all the answers?”  
“I have to find Ralph and Stephanie.”  
“Why?”  
“They are my Freed Ones.” I paused. “They are family. And family must stay together.”  
I saw Hank move towards me in my peripheral vision. “So is Tommy. He is your son. And all he wants is to help his mommy.”  
I looked up at Hank.  
“Let him help.” Hank planted a hand on my desk and pointed behind him. “Your family is out there.” He pointed at the map. “Not on a fucking map.”  
I stood where I was, looking at the map with blurry vision.  
Hank pushed away from my desk. “Fine. Make the same fucking mistakes I did. But don’t come to my bar.”  
I sat when I heard the door shut, and put my head in my hands. I was crying again.  
Why did Jonathan have to die?  
Why did Libby make Harris promise not to tell?  
I rubbed my android leg.  
Why? What did I do?  
“God, what do I do?”


	38. Interview

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiana visits the android responsible for Jonathan's death.

I had never been in a police office before, but I knew they were often crowded with officers, witnesses, and lawbreakers. When I stepped into the Detroit Police Department office, I was not expecting the silence.   
I came to visit the android that had killed Jonathan. He was in a holding cell, guarded by an android from the hospital. As I approached them, I saw the android.  
“Hey Tanner.” The android currently on guard turned. He smiled.  
“Hello, Kiana.” He stood straight and faced me.   
“Relax, soldier. I’m just visiting.”  
With a small nod, Tanner relaxed and leaned against the wall.  
I leaned against the wall next to him and watched the murderer android. He sat on a wall cot, his fingers fidgetting.  
“What’s his name?” I whispered.  
“Samuel.”  
“Where’s he from?”  
“Dunno. He’s only given his name.”  
“Does he talk?”  
“Not really. We don’t have anything to talk about, really.”  
I nodded.  
Tanner turned to me. “Do you mind if I step out and make a call? It’ll only take a minute.”  
I shrugged. “Sure. Tell Clara I said hello.”  
Tanner blushed as he mumbled a thanks and left the room.  
I crossed my arms, propped my human leg on the wall, and looked at Samuel. He sat, twiddling his fingers.  
He finally looked up. His hands stopped. “If it isn’t the heartless witch.”  
I said nothing. I tried to not glare at him.  
He turned where he sat to face me. “What, no retort? No accusation? No curse upon my head?” He chuckled. “I should’ve gone for you, first. Of course the one victim I can’t kill is a human.” He elongated the word “human”; it dribbled from his lip and contorted his face.  
We stared at each other for a moment.  
I narrowed my eyes. “Who hurt you, Samuel?”  
Samuel straightened. “What?”  
I took a step away from the wall. “Nobody hurts others for no reason. Either something’s wrong with them, or someone has hurt them. So,” I stopped a foot from the cell. “Who hurt you?”  
Samuel looked away and squeezed one hand in the other repeatedly. “Nobody hurt me. I just hate romantic relationships between humans and androids.”  
I squinted. He was lying. “Samuel…”  
“Don’t say my name!” He stood and pressed his forehead against the Plexiglas. “You’re just a filthy human, with no concern for how androids feel. You don’t GET to say my name!”  
I pressed my lips together and nodded, not impressed. I glanced down. There was thirium on the floor.  
“’s that your blood?”  
Samuel looked behind him at the stain. “No.”  
I sighed. “Oh good.”  
Samuel swung his head to look at me. “Why? What do you care?”  
I shrugged. “If it was yours, I’d wonder if you were hurt. If you were, and it wasn’t healing, I’d have to fix it.”  
He smirked. “Would you come in here and fix me?”  
“Not alone.”  
“And why’s that?”  
I looked up at him. “I’m not stupid, but I’ll still help. Fixing androids is what I do.”  
Samuel took a step back. “A mechanic?”  
I sighed and looked away. “The androids call me a healer. But yeah, basically.”  
I heard footsteps and guessed Samuel was pacing.  
Tanner walked in.  
“Thanks, Kiana.”  
“My pleasure.”  
Tanner tilted his head. “Really? You do know what he did, right?”  
I gave Tanner a small smile. “I know.”  
Tanner blinked. “Okay then.”  
“Are you going to be relieved soon?”  
“I sure hope so.” Tanner’s voice went quiet as he leaned towards me. “Good thing you came when you did. I was almost dozing.”  
I laughed. “I’ll make sure someone comes for you soon.”  
Tanner smiled. “Thanks, Kiana. And thank you for the upgrade. Biocomponent #3672 is working much better now.”  
I waved away his compliment. “Just don’t let it do that again.”  
Tanner nodded. “Yes ma’am.”  
I turned to the cell. Samuel was watching me intently; his hands swung from his pockets at the thumbs.  
“See you later, Samuel.” He snarled, showing teeth.  
I pat Tanner’s shoulder and walked towards the front door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Samuel belongs to ImoutoChao on DA.


	39. Premonition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathaniel helps Mia when a dream turns into a nightmare.

Mia von Braun was the only android Nathaniel knew who took naps. She called them “premonition sessions,” because she would have visions of the future during them.  
No one took her visions seriously until she saw Kiana’s lower leg component breaking and prevented it. After that, Kiana insisted Mia stay in a room while she was in stasis, as opposed to the waiting room couch Mia had been using.   
Nathaniel didn’t have much use for Mia’s visions, as none of them concerned him or Jerry. One day, Nathaniel and Jerry were walking towards Kiana’s room when they saw an android on the far end grab his head and fall to his knees. Another android did the same; then another, and another. Like a virus, androids were grasping their heads and falling to their knees in pain.  
Nathaniel took a step back. He grabbed Jerry’s arm, intent on running.  
Jerry pulled his arm away. “Mia,” he said, before he too fell to his knees.  
Nathaniel blinked, his eyes wide. He took a step away from Jerry before running. Then he felt it, too. A pain in the neck, as if someone was choking him. “HELP!” screamed through his head over and over. Mia’s voice. She was in trouble.  
“Nathaniel!” came Mia’s voice. The pain receded. Nathaniel took deep breaths as he regained functionality. He looked around him. Jerry and the other androids were still on the ground, grasping themselves and struggling for breath.  
Nathaniel wanted to stay with Jerry. He wanted to help them all. But he knew the best way was to find Mia.  
He found Mia in her “nap room.” She writhed on the hospital bed, clutching at her throat with one hand. Her other hand was grasped firmly around her neck.  
Nathaniel ran to Mia and pulled at her hands, getting them as far from her throat as he could.  
The moment her hand left her throat, Mia sprang up, breathing deep and fast.  
Nathaniel kept her hands firmly on the bed as Mia regained functionality.  
“Mia?” he ventured. Mia stared at her knees. “Mia,” Nathaniel tried again. “You’re okay now.”  
Mia’s eyes darted to him. “What happened?”  
Nathaniel let go of one of Mia’s hands. “Your… vision, affected others. They felt it.”  
Mia sighed, her torso almost collapsing on itself.  
Nathaniel glanced at his hand on Mia’s, then back at her face. “What happened? In the vision?”  
Mia grasped at her shirt collar and pulled it away from her neck before answering.  
“There was… a figure. Standing over me. Then… it began choking me. I couldn’t talk, couldn’t scream, couldn’t breathe…” Mia entangled her hand into her hair.  
“Hey, hey,” Nathaniel soothed. “It was just a dream.”  
Mia coughed a laugh. “It was a damn nightmare!” She stopped, dropped her hand, and straightened. “I recognize the figure.”  
Nathaniel’s eyebrows raised.  
Mia looked at Nathaniel. “It looked like Connor.”  
Nathaniel blinked.  
The door flung against the wall as Kiana and Chris rushed in.  
“What happened?!” Kiana demanded.  
Nathaniel pat Mia’s hand as discreetly as he could. “Bad dream.”  
Kiana shook her head and limped into Nathaniel’s face. “Humans have bad dreams. Mia has visions.” She turned to Mia. “What happened?” she repeated.  
Mia took a deep breath. “I… may have been attacked. By Connor.”  
Kiana’s eyes widened. “Are you sure?”  
Mia shook her head. “I only saw the silhouette. But it looked like Connor.”  
Kiana sighed. “That can’t be good… They’re coming back in a few weeks; do you think we should tell them?”  
Mia shook her head. “I’ll tell him when they return.”  
Kiana squared her shoulders. “Alone?”  
Mia and Kiana met eyes, and stared at each other. Nathaniel finally lifted his hand from Mia’s and decided to find Jerry.  
“Yes,” he heard Mia say as he crossed the threshold into the hall.


	40. More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathaniel finds Jerry, scared, in their secret spot.

When Nathaniel returned to the hall, Jerry was gone. He wasn’t in Kiana’s room, in the waiting room, or with Tommy. In fact, he couldn’t find any Jerry, and nobody seemed to know where they were. Then Nathaniel remembered: their secret place on the roof.  
Sure enough, Jerry was on the roof. Nathaniel opened the door and went to their secret spot and found Jerry. He was staring out at the city, holding his elbows.  
“Jerry?” Nathaniel ventured.  
Jerry turned. Without a word, he walked to Nathaniel and buried his head in Nathaniel’s chest, still hugging his elbows.  
Nathaniel froze. “Jerry?”  
Jerry took a step away and looked at Nathaniel. There were tears in his eyes. “We’re scared, Nathaniel.”  
Nathaniel’s shoulders shrugged as his eyes went wide. “Was it Mia?”  
Jerry shook his head, then smiled and nodded. A tear fell down his cheek. “She… shared a vision with us.”  
Nathaniel’s eyebrows furrowed.  
Jerry rubbed his arm. “One of us… Two of us. Together. Stuck. Alone. Scared and alone.” Jerry placed his hands on his temples and scrunched his eyes closed. “They-… We-… They can’t- WE can’t-…”  
Nathaniel grasped Jerry’s shoulders. “Easy, Jerry. Easy. What was in the vision, two of your coworkers? Together where?”  
Jerry froze in thought. His LED, a corner poking out from his fingers, flashed yellow and red before circling yellow as his eyes popped open. “The camps! They were in the camps!” He grasped Nathaniel’s arms. “They didn’t die. They didn’t die!” Jerry’s smile faltered as he straightened, looking at nothing. “They’re alone. No one knows they’re alive.”  
“That was the vision?”  
Jerry nodded, still unfocused. He blinked and looked at Nathaniel. “We saw them. They talked to us briefly. When they went online.”  
Nathaniel’s eyebrows furrowed again. “Can you talk to them now?”  
Jerry’s eyes unfocused, and he shook his head. Nathaniel saw tears forming in Jerry’s eyes. “We’re scared for them. Where are they?”  
Nathaniel pulled Jerry to him and held him. He trailed his hand through Jerry’s hair as he said, “We’ll find them. Don’t worry, Jerry; we’ll find them.”  
Jerry’s shoulders dropped before his arms went around Nathaniel.  
Nathaniel smiled.  
A movement caught Nathaniel’s eyes. He let go of Jerry. Jerry stayed.  
A Jerry walked into view. He wore the Pirate’s Cove cap. Another Jerry walked into view, wearing two coats. Another Jerry walked into view, wearing bright pants.  
Jerry tightened his hug on Nathaniel. “We won’t tell, Nathaniel.” He pulled away long enough to look at Nathaniel. “All know what one knows.” Then he hugged Nathaniel tight again.  
Nathaniel looked at Jerry’s counterparts. Two were smiling at him. The third stared at the floor, eyes unfocused.  
Jerry with the cap took a step closer. “Thank you, Nathaniel. We need to find them.”  
Nathaniel gave Jerry a small smile. “Of course.” He placed his hands on his Jerry’s back and looked at the three in turn.  
He didn’t know how he was going to help them. And he didn’t know if he could. But he was going to try.


	41. Interrogation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nathaniel's secret is revealed.

Nathaniel followed Kiana into the observation room. On one end was a large window looking into an all-white room with one table and two chairs. An android sat in one of the chairs, handcuffed to the table. He stared at the wall in front of him, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, the corners of his mouth turned down.  
Hank looked up from his chair in the observation room. “Glad you could make it.” He handed Kiana a folder.  
Kiana looked at the folder. “What’s that?”  
“Everything I could find on this android,” Hank replied. Kiana grabbed the folder and opened it. Nathaniel read over her shoulder.  
The android’s name was Samuel. His background was unknown, but he was connected to multiple murders in Detroit and the surrounding area. Victims were found side-by-side, a purple heart made of both thirium and human blood marking the kills as his.  
Nathaniel grimaced and looked at the android, glad he helped capture the murderer.  
“Is this all we know about him?” Kiana asked. She closed the folder and handed it back to Hank.  
“It’s all my contacts could find,” Hank replied. He dropped the folder on the floor and crossed his arms, staring at the window. “Some smartass named him “Violet Cupid” before we knew it was an android.” Hank glanced at Kiana and Nathaniel. “I dunno if we should be naming android serial killers. Or why that’s even a thing now.”  
Nathaniel rubbed the back of his neck.  
“Nathaniel,” said Kiana. “You okay?”  
Nathaniel lowered his arm. “Yeah. Why?”  
Kiana nodded towards the window. “He’s your model. And, from what Libby told me, you’re in love.”  
Nathaniel stiffened. “How did…?”  
Kiana chuckled and shrugged. “Libby notices these things. I have no idea how. She noticed quite a few android couples.”  
“Oh…” was all Nathaniel could say. He lowered his shoulders and tried to focus back on the reason they were there. “I’m fine.” He turned to Kiana. “Are you okay?”  
Kiana’s shoulders dropped in a sigh. She looked at the ground. “He killed Jonathan. How am I supposed to be?”  
Nathaniel laid a hand on Kiana’s shoulder.  
The door opened. Connor stepped in.  
“Are we ready?”  
“Ready as we’ll ever be,” Hank replied. “Wanna do good cop bad cop?”  
Connor shook his head. “I will be fine alone.”  
Hank shrugged and settled in his chair. Connor left the room.  
Hank pat a chair next to him. “You can sit if you want, Kiana.”  
Kiana shook her head. “I’m fine.” Nathaniel noticed that she rubbed her android leg.  
Connor walked into the room. The android, Samuel, did not move his body, but followed Connor with his eyes.  
Connor sat and shifted in his seat for a long minute. The silence hurt Nathaniel’s ears.  
“My name is Connor,” Connor finally said, his hands clasped together on top of the table.  
Hank laughed. Kiana and Nathaniel looked at him.  
“Some habits die real fucking hard,” was Hank’s response.  
“What’s your name?”  
Samuel stared at Connor, his expression unchanging.  
“Do you know why you’re here?”  
Samuel’s lips lifted in a smirk. “Isn’t it obvious? I got caught.”  
Connor tilted his head. “What did you get caught doing?”  
Samuel kept his smile and stare. “Separating naïve androids from their manipulative humans. Humans think they’re so clever: creating us with no knowledge of how human relationships work, just so they can trick us into being their sex toys. It’s disgusting. It’s despicable.”  
Connor stared at the android until he was done.  
“Did someone treat you that way?”  
Samuel’s smile faltered. “What do you mean?”  
“Did someone trick you into thinking they cared about you?”  
Samuel lowered his face, still glaring at Connor.  
“Did someone make you think? Make you fall in love, only to reveal they didn’t really care?”  
Samuel’s lips lifted, showing his teeth grit together.  
“Was it your owner?”  
“Don’t you DARE bring up that cheating whore!” Samuel burst. He stood and pulled at the cuffs, trying to grab at Connor.  
Connor sat back out of reach, his eyes wide.  
“You have no idea what it’s like to be pulled in by a witch, a drunken charlatan! You don’t know what it’s like to find her with another man, treating him like he was the world while you stood by and WATCHED!! All humans are just like her! They don’t care about us; they just want us to SUFFER!” Samuel paused, his shoulders shaking. His smile widened as he laughed. “Well guess who’s suffering now.” He turned to the window. “I know you’re in there, witch. Do you know how much you fooled that boy? His last thought was your name! Kiana! Kiana! KIANA!!”  
Nathaniel couldn’t move before Kiana hit the window, punching it so hard it shook. Hank stood, and both he and Nathaniel pulled her from the window.  
“Easy, Kiana,” Hank warned. “He’s just trying to get into your head. Don’t let him.”  
Nathaniel kept his arms around Kiana and looked at the window. Samuel was smiling at them, his shoulders twitching periodically.  
Connor stood in between the table and window, facing Samuel.  
“What happened?” came Connor’s voice in Nathaniel’s head.  
“It’s under control,” Nathaniel responded silently. “He… got to Kiana.”  
Connor placed his hand on Samuel’s shoulder and pushed him onto the chair. He began circling Samuel’s chair. “Is that why you murder androids and humans alike? To prevent that kind of interaction?”  
“You don’t even know what I’m talking about. You’ve never been in love.”  
Connor stopped. He looked down at the AP700 who stared back up at him.  
“Oh yes. I know the signs. I’ve followed enough couples.” He glanced back at the window, and Nathaniel heard his voice.  
“I’m glad you found an android. We’re much more trustworthy.”  
Nathaniel froze and backed away.  
Hank and Kiana turned to him. “Nathaniel?” came Kiana’s voice. It was a mile away.  
Nathaniel bumped against the wall. “How does everyone know?” He grasped at the wall, staring at the floor.  
Kiana appeared in front of him. “It’s okay, Nathaniel. It’s okay.”  
Nathaniel threw his eyes to Kiana’s face. “Is it? I wanted us to be a secret! Why does everyone know? How do they know?”  
Kiana shook his head. “I don’t know. But it’s okay.”  
“No it’s not!” Nathaniel grabbed his hair, staring at the floor again.  
“Is he okay?” came Hank’s voice.  
“Yeah, Hank,” Kiana responded. “I’ve got him.” She turned back to Nathaniel. “Nathaniel, why did you want it to be a secret?”  
Nathaniel shook his head. “I… I don’t know. I…” he dropped his shoulders. “I didn’t want anyone to treat us differently. Or think I didn’t care which one…”  
“Of course you care which one!” Kiana responded. “They’re all different! They may have the same name, and be connected with a close-circuit network, but they are different people, with different habits and likes and mannerisms. Nathaniel…” Kiana went into Nathaniel’s line of sight, and he followed her face back up. “Nobody thinks of either of you any differently. You’re still one of mine. So is Jerry. You two were the first to join us, and nobody can change that. And if anyone decides to treat you differently, they will answer to me.” Kiana gave Nathaniel a small smirk. “Okay?”  
Nathaniel had lowered his arms, and was now staring at Kiana. She still didn’t quite get why secrecy was important; it was likely that she never would. But she was willing to treat them as individuals. She asked only me to come, he thought.  
Nathaniel hugged Kiana, earning him a surprised “Oh!” He felt Kiana’s shoulders drop, and she pat his back from where she could reach.   
Nathaniel looked up. Connor was detaching the cuffs from the table, and Samuel was looking in front of him, his eyebrows still furrowed.  
He let go of Kiana, who turned around and sprinted for the door. Hank and Nathaniel quickly followed.  
Kiana stood with her arms folded as the door opened and Samuel walked out, hands behind his back, Connor following.  
“Hold a minute, Connor,” Kiana said. She walked closer to Samuel, staring at him.  
“Do you know anything about me, besides my name?” she asked.  
“I know you have a whole building full of androids you’ve either reprogrammed or tricked into liking you,” Samuel replied, lifting the side of his lip in disgust. “How long can you keep that hold? Sooner or later, they’ll realize what you’re doing to them. And then,” he chuckled. “You’ll be sorry. All you filthy humans are the same.”  
Kiana dropped her arms. “Sorry to disappoint you, Samuel. But I’m not fully human.” She grabbed her pant leg and lifted it, revealing android skin.  
Samuel’s eyes widened. “Who did you…?” And he struggled against Connor. “You wench! You’re still using that poor boy?!”  
Kiana let go of the pant leg. “No. That’d be gross. But he did find the parts that let me walk again.”  
Samuel stopped struggling. “… What?”  
Kiana turned to Connor. “You’re good.”  
Connor nodded and pushed Samuel back to the holding cell.  
“Wait,” Samuel pleaded. “What do you mean? Why did he-? What did you-? How do you have that?!”  
Nathaniel walked up to Kiana and put a hand on her shoulder. “Was that wise?”  
Kiana shrugged. “Who knows.”  
Hank appeared at Kiana’s other side, chuckling to himself. “If your sister’s anything like you, I can see why Connor speaks so highly of her.”  
Kiana chuckled with him. “Oh, she’s worse. Much, much worse.”


	42. Release

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiana decides Samuel's fate.

Hank drove us to the far south-west of town. Samuel and Connor sat in the back, looking out their windows the entire time. Hank tried to make small-talk, but nobody else wanted to participate.  
We arrived at the spot. I got out and leaned against my door. Connor walked around the car to assist Samuel.  
Samuel stood from the car and glared at me.  
“I don’t get you.”  
I smirked. “And you won’t, as long as you keep that worldview of yours.”   
Samuel scoffed. “Can I get my knife back, now? I’d like to finish what I started.”  
Connor held Samuel’s arms halfway up the shoulder. I shook my head.  
“You’re not getting them back. You’re on your own from here.”  
Samuel scowled.  
“Oh!” I opened the shotgun door and grabbed Samuel’s mask from the glove compartment. I held it out to him. “Fixed your mask.”  
Samuel looked at the mask, then me. “Why?”  
I shrugged. “A last gesture. Not all humans are as heartless as you’ve experienced.”  
Samuel clenched his jaw and snatched the mask from me. He held his wrists towards Connor.  
Connor shook his head, slapped a hand on Samuel’s shoulder, and led him away. I leaned against the car door again.  
“Is this really a good idea?” Hank asked. He was watching the two androids. Hank glanced at me.  
I sighed. “I’m not sure. But fighting death with death is not the way to solve things.”  
Hank chuckled. “You sound like that Markus kid.”  
I smirked. “We think alike.”  
“Great minds…”  
I smiled as I watched Connor uncuff Samuel. Samuel looked at me, put on his mask, pointed the mask at Connor, and walked away. Connor returned.  
“He wanted to let you know you’ll burn in hell someday.”  
My shoulders fell. “I hope not. I’d like to see Grandpa again, and I’m sure he’s in heaven.”  
Connor stared at me. Hank smirked.  
I opened the car door.  
“Take me home, Hank.”  
Connor hurried into the car.   
Hank sat behind the wheel. “Lots of work waiting for you?”  
“Family is waiting for me,” I replied.


	43. Sisterhood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Libby and Kiana have a moment semi-alone.

When we got back from DC, Kiana wanted to spend sister time. Unfortunately, we couldn’t be completely alone because apparently there was a serial killer on the loose. But Kiana and I wouldn’t be denied, so we compromised. Now Edward and Connor chaperone whenever we leave the hospital together.  
On one such walk, Hank and Sumo decided to join us. We still made them walk behind us with Connor and Edward.  
“What do you think they talk about back there?” I asked. I glanced back just in time to see them laugh.  
“Wondering what we talk about up here,” Kiana answered.  
I gave her a look. “What’s gotten into you recently?”  
Kiana shrugged. “What do you mean?”  
“I mean you don’t smile as much anymore. You talk less. And you’ve distanced yourself. And don’t deny that!”  
Kiana looked away. “The last one is actually because of Jonathan.”  
My shoulders dropped. I shouldn’t have brought it up.  
“Since we don’t have a brother, he was kinda the closest thing we had.”  
I pointed my thumb behind us. “Well, you have one now.”  
“Edward doesn’t count! He’s not your brother as well!”  
We walked in silence, before I thought of something and snorted.  
“What?”  
I shook my head. “I was just thinking… Remember that karaoke club we’d go to in college?”  
Kiana rolled her eyes. “Oh, here we go…”  
“What? We had some good times! Good songs, fun on the stage, good-looking guys who’d buy us drinks, the threesomes-“  
“Okay, no! No, no. No.” Kiana shuddered. “Not going down that path.”  
“Why not?” I countered.  
“Please, Libby.” Kiana glanced at me, then looked straight ahead, her hands clenched.  
“Okay…” We walked a little farther before I held her hand. “I’m sorry.”  
Kiana’s hand slowly unfurled, and our fingers intertwined like we were in elementary school again.  
“Hey, Libby?”  
“Yes, Kiana?”  
“I’ve got the strangest story to tell.”  
I smiled, getting the song. “So do I!~”  
And we laughed.  
She did remember.  
“Libby?”  
“Yeah?”  
Kiana bit her bottom lip before replying. “Has anyone asked you who’s older?”  
I shook my head. “No. Has anyone asked you?”  
Kiana shook her head.  
“Does it matter?”  
Kian shook her head. “I find it… interesting.”  
“How?”  
“The androids don’t seem to care.”  
I shrugged. “Maybe they can tell.”  
Kiana looked at me and raised an eyebrow.  
I laughed. “Or not. But does it really matter? It’s not by that much anyway.”  
“27 seconds.”  
My turn to raise an eyebrow. “You remember that?”  
“That’s what Dad always said when people asked. And I found our birth certificates one day. He was telling the truth.”  
I looked in front of me and blinked. “Wow… I thought all that time Dad was talking out of his ass.”  
Kiana shook her head. “Nope.”  
I squeezed Kiana’s hand. “Inseparable, even in birth.”  
Kiana looked at me. “Inseparable, even in death?”  
I smiled at her. “We’ll sure try.” I leaned my head against hers. She returned the favor and sighed.


	44. Home At Last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiana finally finds her lost Freed Ones.

I stepped out of the car and onto the familiar sidewalk.  
Tommy leapt out and stood beside me. “This was your house?” he asked. He took my hand.  
I nodded. It’s still here…” I murmured.  
“Of course it is,” Hank stated. He stood next to the car’s engine. Connor stood between us. “It’s not the apocalypse.”  
“I know. Just…” I sighed. “Didn’t know what to expect.” I noticed the flowerbed; everything was alive and well.  
My shoulders dropped. “I wish Jonathan was here, too.”  
A hand planted on my shoulder. I turned to Connor; he offered me a smile.  
I gripped Tommy’s hand, squared my shoulders, and faced the house. “Let’s go.”  
The door was unlocked. I turned the knob and pushed the door open.  
“Hello?”

 

“Kiana?”


	45. Merry Christmas, Harris

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harris receives the best Christmas present.

Harris clenched his hands behind his back. Libby and Edward were coming into town today for the holidays, and for some reason Kiana wanted him present when they arrived. He glanced at Chris, who smiled at him.  
‘Everything’s fine, Harris,’ Chris assured him mentally. ‘Trust me. Kiana has a good reason for having you here.’  
Harris still wasn’t sure. Kiana had never asked him to do something personal before. Even when he told her about Stephanie and Ralph, he had been the one to instigate the conversation. He’d felt that Kiana needed something to give her hope. And he had been right.  
Harris looked over to the group of androids in the corner of the platform. Ralph stood next to Stephanie, fiddling his hands in front of him. Stephanie talked with Josh, glancing at Ralph every once in a while. Harris smiled. He was glad he could bring Kiana’s family back together.  
Thinking of family reminded him of Camil and Alyssa. He still had not heard from them. Even with the Jerrys helping him, Harris’ family couldn’t be found.  
Harris sighed. Maybe they didn’t survive the trip to Canada. Maybe they were still in America, somewhere warm so they couldn’t be reminded of the cold night when they were separated. Maybe they were in Canada, living well with another man. Harris felt an almost physical pain in his thirium pump.  
A hand landed on his forearm. It was Tommy.  
“What’s wrong, Mr. Harris?”  
Harris smiled at the android child. “N-Nothing, Tommy. I’m… just remembering my family.”  
Tommy tilted his head. “But we’re right here.”  
Harris closed his eyes and softly chuckled. “My family from before.”  
“Oh,” was Tommy’s small reply. He dropped his hand and looked at the tracks. Then he looked at Harris. “Anything I can do?”  
Harris smiled. “No, thank you, Tommy.”  
Tommy gave him a small smile. “How about a hug, then?”  
Harris’ shoulders dropped. “Sure.” He dropped to one knee, and Tommy hugged him. It wasn’t enough, but Harris appreciated the gesture. Tommy reminded Harris of Alyssa, especially when he smiled with delight; so Harris did everything he could to bring that smile forward.  
Tommy pulled away and looked down the tracks. “They’re here!” he exclaimed.  
Harris stood and clasped his hands behind his back again. While everyone else surged forward to meet the train, Harris stood back. He didn’t feel like joining in the joy when all he could think about was his missing humans. His girls.  
A hand grabbed his arm. “Oh no,” said Kiana as she pulled him towards the approaching train. “You’re not missing this arrival.”  
Harris’s eyebrows furrowed as his head tilted. What did she mean?  
Kiana kept her grip on his arm as the train pulled in. Harris looked at Kiana, whose face brightened. He looked towards the train to see Libby and Edward, and his eyes widened.  
Standing on the other side of the door were Camil and Alyssa. Alyssa was now a fully-grown woman, and just as beautiful as her mother. And Camil…  
Harris’ thirium pump skipped a beat.  
The train stopped, the doors opened, and Alyssa ran to Harris.  
“Harris!” she cried, wrapping her arms around him. She shook with sobs. Harris, reworking himself into moving, slowly enveloped Alyssa in a hug.  
“I missed you so much,” Alyssa whispered, her face buried in Harris’ jacket.  
Harris smiled and felt liquid trail down his cheeks. “I missed you, too, Alyssa. I… I…” He looked up.  
Camil stood waiting her turn, hugging her elbows. A line of tears fell down her face.  
Harris felt Alyssa pull away as he took a step towards Camil. Camil did the same. She placed a hand on Harris’ cheek, her eyes searching from one of his eyes to the other. Harris placed a hand on Camil’s opposite cheek. He breathed a sigh at feeling her warm skin, and placed his other hand around her.  
“C-Camil, I…” Harris didn’t know how to say it. How he had missed them. How he had thought they were dead. How he had almost given up in the camp. How he had hoped beyond all reason that they were alive and well. How he had never dreamed he would ever see them again.  
Camil didn’t let him say how. Instead, she kissed him.  
He kissed her in return, wrapping her in his arms. She sighed and hugged him around the neck. Harris sighed. The world was right again. And he could return to living.  
When they pulled away, they looked into each other’s eyes, smiling. Harris gently wiped the line of tears from Camil’s cheek. She gave a short laugh. “I thought you were…”  
Harris pecked her lips with his. “I thought I would be, too. I thought I’d never see you again.”  
Camil’s smile widened for a second. Then she looked to Alyssa, and then around them.  
“Um, Harris,” she whispered. “We have an audience.”  
Harris looked. Edward, Libby, Kiana, Chris, and a few others were staring at them, smiling.  
Edward, who had his arm around his wife, squeezed her and commented, “I think he appreciates it greatly.”  
Harris turned towards them, keeping an arm around Camil. “A…ppreciates what?”  
Libby’s smile widened. “Merry Christmas, Harris.”  
Harris looked at Camil. Then at Chris. Then at Kiana. Then back to Libby. He tilted his head, confused.  
“I… I thought you… you h-hated me for… you know…”  
Libby shook her head. “Nah. I was angry, sure, but I really should be thanking you. You’ve brought our family back together.” Libby glanced at Kiana. “So we thought we’d return the favor.”  
Camil snuck her arm around Harris’ lower back. Alyssa did the same on his other side. Harris wrapped his arms around their shoulders.  
“We’re glad you did,” Alyssa commented. “Libby told us everything.”  
“And we couldn’t be more proud of you,” continued Camil. “Even if you did disobey a direct order.”  
Harris shrugged his shoulders, smiling sheepishly. “I only do it for good reasons?” he argued.  
Everyone laughed in agreement.  
As they all returned to the hospital, Harris didn’t let Camil or Alyssa leave his embrace. He hadn’t felt emotions so strongly in a while, much less ones of happiness and belonging.   
His girls had returned. His adoptive family had brought his original family back from death. And he was not going to let himself forget this moment.  
“Merry Christmas, Harris,” Camil said, breaking him from his thoughts with a kiss on his cheek. He looked at her, smiling.  
“Merry Christmas.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Harris, Camil, and Alyssa belong to WinterSpectrum on DA.  
> (I might be wrong about Camil, though. TBD)


End file.
